


Welcome To Beacon Hills

by Writingfangirlforhire



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Radio Host Stiles Stilinski, Welcome to Nightvale AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-11
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2020-04-24 18:47:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19179262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writingfangirlforhire/pseuds/Writingfangirlforhire
Summary: "The new man also sported what was described as a perfect five o'clock shadow and a respectable haircut. Whoever this new man is, he certainly knows how to win a man's heart, he has me swooning and I haven't even seen him yet. Of course now I will have to fill out the proper paperwork to be allowed to swoon over a werewolf, but I think it will be worth it. Don't you?"“Oh ignore the radio,” the Sheriff said, “Stiles likes to show off.”“What the hell is a Stiles?” Derek asked, crossing his arms. The Sheriff laughed.“That is a very good question son."





	1. What the hell is a Stiles?

“ _ The sun is hot, the moon is just a big space mirror, the void of the universe is eternity. Welcome to Beacon Hills, _ ” the voice on the radio was smooth and alluring. Playful undertones of the hard truth and a sensual lilting voice. 

Derek looked at the radio in his Camaro for a brief moment. He'd just turned the radio to the local station. He hadn't been in Beacon Hills since he was a teenager, but he didn't remember this voice on the radio.

“ _ In public announcements: The Sheriff's Police have issued a warning about peanut butter, this morning _ ,” the voice continues, “ _ the public announcement was made on the steps of the city council building by a young man in a pink stripper outfit, making vague movements with his mouth sewed shut. The warning says that you should not buy Jiff Crunchy Peanut Butter for your own safety. Reports are saying that all Jiff Crunchy Peanut Butter jars are morphing into black goo daemons with large mouths covering most of their tar like bodies, who have an affinity for thumbs and major intestines. If you have bought any Jiff Crunchy Peanut Butter in the past five months and still have it in your house, it's too late for you, make sure that you have at least seven different complete strangers, real or nonexistent, listed on your required bi-monthly Will and Testament. Station Intern Greenburg has died because of Jiff Crunchy Peanut Butter. To the family of Intern Greenburg: my consolations. He was honestly just an average intern and will not be missed. This has been public announcements _ .”

“What the hell?” Derek mumbled to himself.

“ _ Well Beacon Hills, I've got great news! _ ” The unidentified voice continued, “ _ The local vigilante group has claimed that they have caught and executed 17 people that could possible have done something wrong once in their lives! We are all much safer now thanks to the local vigilante group. Remember, murder is not illegal as long as you are part of the Sheriff's Police, the secret police which most definitely doesn't exist, a vigilante group, or are any random citizen who is wearing a belt. _ ”

Derek looked around his car with his best  _ what the fuck  _ face, as if someone was listening to this too. 

“ _And now! A word from our sponsor!_ **_Have you ever contemplated carpets? Have you ever wondered why people have the popcorn ceilings? Do you ever meander down the road pointlessly at night waiting for somebody to stab you 13 times with a paring blade? Unicorn Frappes. Starbucks._** _”_

Just as the strange but melodious voice finished the sponsor paid weirdness, Derek pulled into the police station parking lot. That was where the dream had said to go. And here he was, wondering what the hell was with the radio station and why the fuck he was back here.

Slowly Derek opened the door of his Camaro, out of the corner of his eye he saw a little boy watching him, but when he turned his head the little boy was an old woman.

He nodded in greeting and headed for the station door. It opened in front of him an officer left. The officer had an eye in the center of his forehead, Derek was pretty certain. 

What the  _ fuck _ ?

“Are you just gonna stand there and stare son?” A man in uniform asked walking by. Derek had seen that man in his dream.

“Sheriff Stilinski?” Derek called out. The older man stopped and turned to him.

“Ah, Derek Hale, my son said you'd be coming, come on in Mr. Hale, I've got coffee,” the Sheriff smiled pleasantly.

“Just Derek, or Hale, please,” Derek followed, sticking his hands in the pockets of his tight black jeans.

“Yeah, he said you'd say that,” the Sheriff mumbled. 

“Who did sir?”

“My son, c'mon Hale,” the Sheriff walked into the building and Derek followed sniffing the air for danger. Besides the danger which would be donuts, everything seemed safe and normal enough. Derek immediately picked up on the sound of the radio station he'd been playing in his car.

_ “An observant listener has called in claiming that they saw a man entering town today wearing a dark green henley, a leather jacket, black jeans, and hiking boots. Why hiking boots? Is he going to the preserve? Remember listeners, the preserve is strictly off limits for all Beacon Hills citizens. I suggest taking a nap instead. The new man also sported what was described as a perfect five o'clock shadow and a respectable haircut. Whoever this new man is, he certainly knows how to win a man's heart, he has me swooning and I haven't even seen him yet. Of course now I will have to fill out the proper paperwork to be allowed to swoon over a werewolf, but I think it will be worth it. Don't you?” _

Derek took a sharp breath.

“Oh ignore the radio,” the Sheriff said, somehow knowing what Derek had heard with his werewolf hearing. “Stiles likes to show off.”

“What the hell is a Stiles?” Derek asked, crossing his arms. The Sheriff laughed. 

“That is a very good question son. But Stiles is actually a who, not a what, and he's the radio broadcaster. Word of advice son, if you plan on staying here, listen to everything Stiles says, take it seriously. My boy said that you will try and fight the way things work around here but just remember. Beacon Hills has changed some since you were a kid.”

____________________________________

 

Derek stared around his new loft. The Sheriff had handed him the keys saying, “The keys have been waiting for you since you were a kid,” like that was completely normal. The loft was…. Perfect. Exactly how Derek would have styled it.

It was creepy how accurate to his personality it was. 

Within two minutes of his standing in the main living space there was a knock on the door. A dark skinned young man was standing there, looking quite built and vaguely ominous. 

“Can I help you?” Derek crossed his arms. The young man smelled like he was a werewolf. He bared his neck at Derek as a sign of submission. “Forgive me for intruding Alpha-”

“Derek. Just call me Derek, or Hale.”

The dark skinned wolf bowed his head silently, “Derek,” he appeased quietly, “forgive my intrusion but I was stopping by to introduce myself. I am Boyd. I am a Beta and I am also your neighbor. Also I brought by a meatloaf, since you haven't had the opportunity to buy produce yet.”

Derek stared speechlessly at the meatloaf being thrust into his hands. Boyd offered him a silent smile and a nod before turning away.

Derek watched as he disappeared out of existence. 

_ What the fuck. _

Derek shrugged and started to go get boxes from his car. 

He turned on his car and that same voice,  _ Stiles _ apparently, was talking. “ _ I'm not sure about you listeners. But my intern, Maia, has reported hearing a sound not unlike buzzing, but definitely not buzzing. She claims that she heard the sound eminating from the couches in the studio lounge. Perhaps, dear listener, the couch is trying to tell us something. Perhaps, all these years, we've been sitting our asses down on sentient beings. I mean, after the supernatural incident of 2010, I really can't honestly believe that anything isn't real. Let's just take a moment then to think about that as we go to the weather.”  _

Different tones of static started playing through the radio as Derek grabbed boxes shaking his head.

This guy is nuts.

As Derek carried boxes into his new apartment, even though he didn't quite remember how the boxes got into his car, he noticed that the couch was buzzing. Except. It wasn't. It was a buzz but it wasn't a buzz. 

“The radio was right,” Derek murmured, staring fixedly at the couch. He crossed over to the radio in the library in room and turned it on. The weird tones of humming was still there and Derek took that time to carry more boxes in. When he had made a few rounds of carrying in boxes he couldn't remember putting in his car, he heard that alluring voice in the radio. 

_ “Welcome back listeners. We have more developments on the couch story. Apparently couches are buzzing but not buzzing all over Beacon Hills!”  _ The voice said cheerfully _. “The Sheriff's Police suggest that you try reasoning with the couches, ask them what their intentions are. Maybe, just maybe, we can politely ask them to stop. The Secret Police suggest exorcism. _

_ There has also been a development on the new werewolf in town story. Apparently the new Don Juan is actually named Derek and he used to live in Beacon Hills before the Storm of 2005. Welcome Home Derek! Welcome home to Beacon Hills…. _

_ Ah! Listeners! Maia has just informed me that the couch has stopped buzzing but not buzzing. She claims that it never responded to her directly but that it did stop after an hour. Hopefully that's the last of it!” _ The voice cheerfully announced.

“An hour?” Derek asked out loud, looking at the clock to see that an hour had passed indeed. “What the hell?”

_ “Another potential catastrophe was avoided today. And now listeners, time to call your children in if you wish to see them again tomorrow. So I leave you with this thought. Even Aristotle died.  _

_ So for all of us here at the station, this is Stiles Stilinski. See you tomorrow Beacon Hills. Good night.” _

Stiles.  Stilinski . 

‘“ **_My son said you'd be coming.”’_ **

**_‘“Yeah, he said you'd say that,”_ **

**_“Who did sir?”_ **

**_“My son,”’_ **

 

**_‘“What the hell is a Stiles?”_ **

**_“That is a very good question son.”’_ **

The radio voice guy was the Sheriff's son. The couch had been buzzing but not buzzing. 

And hour had passed in maybe 5 minutes top.

What the fuck had happened in Beacon Hills since Derek left?


	2. Your Radio Show is Ridiculous

Derek sat in the diner nursing a coffee and not making eye contact with the little boy sitting next to him at the bar. Nobody around him seemed to notice the child, one even reached  _ through _ the child. But Derek had bought a  meal for the skinny boy, the waitress had looked confused but took his order  anyway.

A young man, a little younger than Derek probably, walked into the diner, a laugh lighting up the dreary day. He was walking beside another young man with a crooked jaw, and then Derek's neighbor, Boyd, and a busty blond girl. All the last three smelled like they were werewolves. But the first young man… Derek couldn't place what he smelled like. He smelled like everything and nothing, and like coffee, Old Spice, and magic, and the future almost. 

“Hey Charlie,” the young man sat on the stool beside the little boy beside Derek. The little boy stopped staring at Derek and turned to the young man who sounded familiar. He didn't say anything just smiled shyly.

“Alpha Derek Hale,” Boyd said quietly as a greeting.

Derek nodded back at him before practically burying his nose in his coffee.

“ _This_ is Derek Hale?!” The first young man said in surprise. Derek moved away from his coffee to look at the speaker. Grey-green eyes met honey warm brown eyes. Derek quickly looked away lifting his coffee mug to his lips, his heart pounding.

“Hi,” the young man with the most beautiful eyes Derek had ever seen spoke to him, “I'm Stiles Stilinski.”

Just like that Derek jerked his head to look at that voice on the radio. He stared at the most gorgeous young man. His heart pounding so hard that he was sure non werewolves could hear it.

“Your radio show is ridiculous.” Derek blurted, turning back to his coffee, refusing to look back. He could smell hurt and confusion from Stiles and amusement from the werewolves. He felt embarrassed and scowled into his coffee.

“Well, uh, I'd say that you don't have to listen to it but there is no other radio stations in Beacon Hills, dude,” Stiles said slowly. Derek noticed the little boy glaring at him and frowned down at the boy.

“What are you looking at?” He asked roughly. 

“Alpha? Are you talking to the chair?” asked the blonde girl.

“Name is Derek. Use it.” Derek glared at her before downing the rest of his coffee.

“You can see Charlie too?” Stiles asked in surprise. Derek just glared down at his coffee mug. Still embarrassed at himself.

“I've got to go.” he stood abruptly, he put a twenty on the table for his coffee and Charlie's meal. 

“Wait!” Stiles stood up too, “where are you going?” Derek finally looked up at him and felt his heart pounding. He schooled is expression as best he could. 

“I've got stuff to do.” He crossed his arms, he could hear his own heart blip with the lie and all the werewolves glanced at him. He stood his ground. Eye-balling Stiles, Derek was trying to look disinterested; he couldn't help but notice the tight jeans and form fitting flannel shirt, and the golden tattoos peaking out from under the wrist of Stiles’s shirt and at the edge of his neck. He swallowed, looking away. 

“Well…” Stiles said slowly, “if you ever need to know anything about Beacon Hills, here's my work number. I know basically anything there is to know about this place. I can help answer any question you might have.”

Derek stared at the clear plastic card with shimmering gold lettering writing out  _ Stiles Stilinski, Beacon Hills Radio Station _

He looked up at Stiles.

“Why can't they see him but we can?” He asked, gazing questioningly into the young man's eyes. Stiles almost grinned, turning back to the little boy sitting on a stool eating his chocolate chip pancakes and sausage. 

“Because a force has chosen him,” Stiles said dreamily, “He isn't meant to be seen or touched or heard. He just is… the fact that you can see him is actually quite surprising,” Stiles turned to him with a slightly quizzical expression, “But I'm sure he's glad for someone else to know him. Charlie's is awfully lonely. Thank you for buying him breakfast.” Then he gave Derek a dazzling smile. “No one else will even remember that we had this conversation. It seems like anytime I say something about Charlie everyone forgets. Perhaps it will be different with you though.” Stiles scratched the back of his head. “I guess you had better get going though,” he said awkwardly.

Derek swallowed and tried to school his expression. “Yeah. I should do that,” he said gruffly, “Goodbye.” Derek quickly left, feeling golden honey brown eyes on him the whole way.

____________________________________

 

“ _ Time is relative to action. The amount of time that passes depends solely on what you are doing. Welcome Beacon Hills _ ,” Stiles’ smooth voice came over the radio. Derek looked over at the radio from his position on the couch reading.

“ _ The local Alcoholics Anonymous group would like to announce that it is the birthday of their one of their members, Mrs. Mary Whittemore. Come and celebrate with some non-alcoholic beer, and fully alcoholic vodka at the old abandoned church that all the chanting is coming from. _

_ Speaking of chanting, a witch coven placed a curse on all of the radio station interns. I'm not sure why, or how long it will last, but the interns are all chanting while their aura is being sucked into the vortex in the broom closet that sometimes brings the station curly fries. I've been trying to get Intern MaHaney to get me a cup of coffee for 15 minutes now, so if anybody is either a professional at breaking curses,  _ **_or_ ** _ wants to bring me a cup of coffee, it would be appreciated. _

_ Now to the community calendar.” _

Derek turned back to his book on fae folk and let Stiles’ voice wash over him. That's when he smelled something… strange.

It smelled a bit like cotton and vanilla and burning sage. Derek tilted his head up to snuff the air, moving his head to the side in confusion. 

Book forgotten, Derek followed the smell outside and looked up to see a huge shiny silver fog hovering just over his house.

He got out his phone and dialed the number that he had stared at so much.

“Beacon Hills Radio Station, this is Lydia, how can I help you?” An uppity female voice answered.

“I'd like to talk with Stiles Stilinski please, whenever he's available,” Derek said as he stared up at the cloud. “Uh, my name is Derek.” he added after a second of thought.

“Stiles will be with you soon.” Lydia answered abruptly before putting him on hold. Derek almost didn't notice. 

He watched the fog cloud fixedly, light shimmered over the fluffy silver puffs of cloud.

“-llooo?” A voice broke through his concentration. “Are you there?”

“Hi yeah, uh it's Derek Hale,” Derek said dumbly, snapping out of his revery. 

“Hi Derek, how can I help you dude?” Stiles responded cheerfully. 

“There's uhhhh there's this silver fog cloud thing outside my house. It smells sweet and clean and I don't know where it came from and what it is.” Derek looked back up at the cloud. 

“Ah, huh, that's weird…” Stiles said slowly. 

“That's not reassuring,” Derek quipped sarcastically.

“Well most colored fog clouds in Beacon Hills are blue and black, and they smell like spices… so this is a first!” The last part was said excitedly. “Take pictures for me and send them to me.”

“I don't have your number.” Derek said quietly.

“Ah yeah,” Stiles chuckled lightly, then he listed off a number that Derek barely caught. Derek nodded before realizing that Stiles couldn't see him. 

“Okay, I'll do that,” he said with a bit of an embarrassed blush. He heard laughter through the phone.

“You just nodded even though I can't see you, didn't you?” Stiles said through laughter. His laugh sounded sweet over the phone.

Derek pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it in amazement.

“How did you know?” He asked into the phone, sort of sharply from surprise.

“I know lots of stuff,” Stiles chuckled, “I told you.”

“You're very strange.” Derek said, rolling his eyes, “Alright, well it was nice talking with you but I'm gonna go so I can text you this picture.” 

Stiles rambled off that same number again, “Let me know if it goes away okay? Now I gotta continue the radio show, talk to you later Derek.”

Derek just grunted in response and hung up. He took a picture of cloud and sent it to that number Stiles had given. Derek wasn't great at remembering numbers but that one stuck in his brain. 

It occurred to him after he'd received an excited

>> “ _ HOLY SHIT THAT'S SO COOL”  _

Followed by 

_ >>“let me know when it goes away okay?” _ That he had unintentionally given Stiles his number. It lit up sparklers of nervousness inside his stomach.

There was something about the radio host that was….. perfect. 

He texted back, with butterflies doing acrobatics in his stomach with sparklers.

<< _ Sure _ .

“ _ Well listen viewers,” _ Stiles was saying when Derek walked into the main room.  _ “Our newest Beacon Hills resident, _ **_Derek_ ** _ has reported seeing a large silver cloud near his home. He says that it smells sweet yet clean. If any of you have any more information, pass it on to me for me to give to him.” _

The way that Stiles said his name had his stomach flipping. Derek flushed and quickly picked up his book. He was NOT going to text him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed!


	3. Years and a Few Sessions of Therapy Later

Derek sat next to Boyd and glanced warily at the pack. The werewolf with the crooked jaw from the diner, Scott apparently, was this motley crew’s alpha. In the pack, there was Boyd, his girlfriend Erica, Stiles (who smelled like a human but yet a druid or something but Derek wasn’t actually sure because his dad  _ definitely _ smelled human), and Scott's ex, and Allison who was definitely human, a hunter in fact.  

Derek crossed his arms and glared at each pack member.

“No.” He said simply, “I didn't come here for a pack, and definitely not to  _ lead  _ a pack.”

“Please,” Scott pleaded, “You've been here for over a month and everyone likes you in the pack. Even the Sheriff approves of you!” 

Derek tightened his crossed arms, making his muscles bulge. 

“The fact that you think, after one month, that I should run your pack only shows me how inexperienced you are.”

“Which is why-”

“You need to run your own pack.” Derek growled. “You're an alpha, fucking act like it.” Derek stared Scott down. Scott sighed heavily and looked at the rest of the pack.

“Okay.” Scott looked had a silent conversation with Stiles that, to Derek, looked like he was asking Stiles to make Derek do it. Derek just glared at Stiles too, making the radio host fidget in his seat.

“Derek…” Stiles still tried.

“Don’t demean yourself by begging,” Derek interrupted, he stood up, “I have to get ready for work. Please accept my apologies but I can’t stay.”

Boyd stood up to show Derek out. They stood outside Boyd’s door for a second just staring at each other. 

“Sometimes,” Boyd spoke softly, “tests in life are supposed to refine character.” Derek stared at him, feeling the connection with the typically silent beta. 

Derek looked back towards the house, meaningfully, “Then his character will be very refined. This town is strange and full of many dangers,” he looked at Boyd, “He'll become a strong Alpha, but that starts with taking responsibility now.”

Boyd just nodded in agreement.

“I'm trying a new bread recipe, I'll bring you some,” was Boyd's goodbye.

With a nod, Boyd just turned away. Somehow Derek felt like Boyd was silently approving. He felt like Boyd got it.

Boyd was his favorite of the McCall pack, and that wasn’t just because he always made Derek delicious treats. (One time, just the beginning of this month, Stiles tried to bake him something. It was absolute trash, but Derek still ate it. Out of politeness, he told Boyd.) Boyd also didn’t talk too much and seemed to get Derek more than anyone else.

 

As Derek walked back to his house to get ready to go to work (he was offered a job as a farm hand just outside of town by an ancient merman, who was too old to stay out of the water for long enough to take care of his animals, but refused to give them to his nephew), he thought about how the McCall pack has been trying to include him the past couple weeks. Was that only because Scott wanted to give up his position as Alpha?

_ “What did his hair look like?” _ The ghost asked him.

Derek rolled his eyes and moved past his uninivited roommate.

“Messy and amazing like always,” Derek answered roughly. “I'm kind of surprised he was there. He's normally at the radio station.”

This reminded Derek that Stiles was in support of Scott's decision to surrender Alpha-ship to Derek. Derek shook his head, that boy, Scott, was a true Alpha, whether he accepted it or not. The young man should accept it sooner rather than later.

Derek still felt an emptiness in his heart now that he’d turn down the pack’s offer. He missed his family, his pack. He tried to shake it off. 

He didn’t succeed, the shallowness stayed with him the entire rest of the evening as he did the farm chores.

He was a wolf without a pack.

And when he turned on the radio and someone else's voice was in there, if felt even more lonely.

The silence was unbearable as they went “ _ and uh have a good night Beacon Hills!” _ And ended it there.

____________________________________

 

_ “Lock your doors and isolate yourself in your panic rooms. The United Postal Service, also known as UPS is coming. If you have children in school, abandon them as sacrifices to a malevolent god which delivers all our packages. If you survive through this, then that means that the you in the second dimension has died. Mourn yourself and feel the emptiness of your other half that has now never been.”  _

Derek looked up at the radio and tapped his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel as he sped up to get to the closest building before it got closed up. A police cruiser sped up and passed him, Derek sped up and followed him closely. They got to the police station and Derek and Officer Parrish hopped out before even turning off their cars.

Parrish was decent enough, even in all this fear, to hold the door open for Derek, letting him in. Derek clapped his shoulder while they both raced to the closest set of stairs and started taking them, leaps at a time, down into the earth. The emergency alarms and lights were going off and flashing. The sound and smell of panic were enough to make Derek start having a small panic attack. 

Through it all though was Stiles calmly narrating what was going on throughout town. It helped Derek make it all the way down, but as soon as he was down there, he saw the Sheriff and start panicking again. 

“Does the radio station have a broadcast panic room?!” He demanded of the Sheriff, grabbing him by the shoulders. The Sheriff squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.

“I've never been there myself, only those who work there know what it's like and sometimes they forget when they leave work. But the last time this happened, Stiles barely survived because he didn't have a panic room to go to, they lost all but 3 employees.”

“I'll go protect him,”Derek started going to the door. The sheriff grabbed his jacket.

“It's pointless son, you don't find the station. The station finds  _ you _ . And on top of that, you'll die as soon as a postman finds you.” The Sheriff's resigned tone made Derek feel empty helpless. 

“ _ Dear Beacon Hills, the postmen have made it to the radio station. I don't know how they found it, since it doesn't exist on the physical plain of Earth, and the station has a P.O. box, and nothing gets delivered to us personally…. But nevertheless, they are here. Lydia has been screaming about death ever since they arrived, I suspect we've lost 4 employees already.  _

_ Of course, I am holed up in the recording studio with my baseball bat and- oh oh noooo…. _

**_They're here._ ** _ ” _

Derek didn't hesitate he stalked out of the station even though five men tried to stop him. He ran to his car and peeled out of the parking lot. 

“I'm going to the station”, Derek gritted his teeth. He kept repeating that, over and over again. He drove, not knowing where he was going, but yet knowing at the same time. The weather was playing in the background as Derek sped up, no cops out to bother him if he didn’t go 30mph. 

All at once he came to the most modern looking building he’d ever seen in Beacon Hills. Something was off about it, there were tiny adjustments being made to the building in front of his eyes. The color of the outside of the building was changing, the size of the windows shifted. It was the most modern thing that ever existed, because it was always changing to be the most forward in architecture, Derek knew without having ever known before. And yet it was also the oldest building in Beacon Hills. This, Derek also knew for certain without ever having known before. 

He saw a creature, humanoid in shape, head towards the ever slightly changing door. It was wearing a tan shirt and brown pants. On the lapel of its shirt was a the letters UPS. Derek shifted into werewolf form.

It’s a blur honestly. Years, and a few therapy sessions, later Derek will still not be able to remember what he did to that UPS thing. There was a lot of purple and gold and brown liquid, and Derek remembers the pain. But the next thing he remembers is being inside the station. Running past a screaming banshee receptionist. He goes to where he can smell him.  _ Stiles. _

Running into the already open door of the recording studio he sees something that he will, years and several therapy sessions later, never forget. Stiles is hovering in the recording studio, microphone in hand and headphones on, eyes glowing, as a UPS delivery monster beats on a weakening forcefield around what looks like a couple of sobbing interns. Stiles is seeping a glowing fiery gold liquid from his nose and the corners of his eyes. Looking weak. 

Derek attacks in a blind fury. Again, he will never remember exactly what he did. Stiles’s narration of it onto live radio is the only proof that he did anything. 

_ “Listeners, oh dear listeners! A hero has come to save us. He’s attacking the UPS delivery service man with a vengeance. Covered in UPS blood and human blood, he’s nearly unrecognizable, but listeners, I’d know this gorgeous, sexy werewolf anywhere. Derek Hale has come to save us. I did the best I could, but even I was no match for this UPS man. But Derek Hale, strong, kind Derek Hale, is risking his life to save us! Oh no! The UPS man has gotten a bite on Derek’s shoulder! Listeners, I can’t believe this! Beacon Hills! Derek Hale is still fighting, despite the bite! UPS bites incapacitate their victims immediately, but Derek has just knocked the UPS man off of him and continued fighting him! I’ve never seen someone so strong! Listeners, Derek is winning! He’s almost finished him off! Get him Derek! Destroy the UPS man! I can’t believe this! Derek has won! The UPS man is dead! You saved us Derek! You saved- LOOK OUT! Listeners, two UPS men have attacked, their are shoving pens at Derek and screaming  _ **_SIGN_ ** _ which, of course, is their battle cry. Derek! Wow! Listeners you’ll never believe this!” _

**_“Stiles get them out of here!”_ **

_ “Listeners, I will continue to update you on the fight in a moment, but for now, let’s have a pre-recorded word from our sponsor.” _

**_A silent advertisement for Demi Lovato’s new hit recipe book. A slightly louder advertisement for Rachel Ray’s new song, it’s only average. A normal talking voice advertisement for Kim Kardashian’s new wife. A SHOUTING ADVERTISEMENT FOR YOUR DENTIST._ ** **_Colgate._ **

_ “Listeners, we’re back. The UPS attack is over, everyone may return to their normal routines. The professional mourners have a busy couple of days ahead of them as they prepare for the bake sale. Man those mini pies are always good…. As for what occured here at the station? It’s beyond words, what Derek Hale did for us… for me. He’s a true hero folks. I also now owe him a life debt, so that’s cool! Listeners… sweet Beacon Hills, we have survived yet another threat. Now, as we go back to our normal activities, lets remember this…. God is each of the individual grounds of coffee that you used and consumed this morning. You god killer.  _

_ For all of us here at the station, I’m Stiles Stilinski. And to you Beacon Hills, Good Night.” _   
  


Derek woke up in his loft on his bed. A warmness that smelled like magic and Adderall sat a couple feet away. Derek turned to see Stiles Stilinski sitting on his bedside dresser working on a laptop. 

“Good morning gorgeous!” that wonderful, sensual, playful voice that only could belong to the radio host greeted him. Derek shifted in his bed, looking behind him. 

“I’m talking to you, silly,” There was a shift of energy in the air, something pulled Derek’s so that he turned to look at Stiles. This time Stiles was looking at Derek a smile on his beautiful face.

“Did I die?” Derek asked. He realized suddenly that he hurt all over. Kind of like he’d been slammed into by a truck that had spikes on the wheels. “Cause I kind of feel like I should be dead,” He grimaced, wincing in pain. 

“Do you want any pain medicine?” Stiles asked, Derek winced again. 

“No, I should heal soon, it will be fine. Besides, I don’t own pain meds,” Derek closed his eyes and cataloged his injuries, his left shoulder, both sides of ribs, and his left thigh all had this burning pain.

“Can I help dude?” Stiles asked, he sounded concerned. Derek opened his eyes again, to find Stiles leaning over him a bit. Stiles’s heart rate spiked when Derek opened his eyes, and the radio host swallowed hard.  Derek felt sparklers behind his eyes and he sat up with a groan.

“Hey, Derek? Der- Derek?” Stiles’s hands were on his face. The beautiful voice was muffled by the blood rushing in his ears. Derek felt nauseous. He covered his mouth with his hand as he tried to keep himself from vomiting on Stiles. Gagging and in nearly crippling pain, Derek stumbled to his feet and lurched towards his bathroom. He barely got to the toilet before he started vomiting violently. 

After the initial tsunami, Derek felt a hand in between his shoulder blades and immediately felt significantly better. Another hand snaked into his vision, as he breathed heavily over the toilet, and flushed it. Then magically a wet washcloth was in the hand. Derek took the offered cloth and cleaned off his face.

“I’m sorry,” he said, voice rough.

“I thought you felt fine?” Stiles’s hand was on Derek’s face again. Derek felt significantly better now.

“I said that I’d heal soon, apparently not soon enough,” Derek felt exhausted now.

“UPS bites are venomous, a single bite can put a normal werewolf out of commision for a week. You got bit 5 times and woke up less than 24 hours later. I don’t know what about you made you able to withstand that but…. It makes sense that you haven’t healed completely yet,” Stiles explained, “Come on, back to bed with you.”

“No, I’ll be fine, Derek pushed himself up to his feet, though wobbly. Stiles stood and put his hands on his hips.

“You need rest,” Stiles furrowed his brows, looking very stern for the normally playful radio host. Derek, felt his shoulder burn again and swallowed hard closing his eyes. He felt another hand on him, this time on his ribcage. He felt a little better and opened his eyes to see Stiles’s eyes fading from a glowing gold. 

“What are you doing?” Derek took a step back, Stiles looked taken aback by the rough tone. 

“I’m trying to help,” he said, looking at Derek like there was something growing out of his head.

“I said I’ll be fine,” Derek pushed past Stiles.

“Did you even hear what I said?” Stiles scoffed, following him, “I normal bite puts a werewolf out of commision for a FUCKING WEEK. Normal or Not, you will not be  _ fine _ for a while. You may have moments, but the side effects of the bite lasts for a long ass time. Shit dude, you can’t just push away offers of help, I’ve got some experience on healing UPS bites alright? Without me, you could contract a debilitating illness, or go into a coma. All of which have happened after a UPS delivery man bites a supernatural. So like it or not, I don’t want you to  _ die _ Derek. I’m going to help.”

Derek went to turn to argue with him. 

And passed out as soon as he’d turned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit longer, but I didn't want to have a ridiculously short chapter.


	4. "What did he want?" "Your dick probably"

 

It took Derek a two weeks until he stopped having random nauseous episodes, and stopped passing out, or having fevers. One of the McCall pack, or Stiles, or Sheriff Stilinski, were always with Derek. Which was annoying, but sometimes he passed out in bad situations, like walking up the stairs, or showering, and his ghost roommate couldn't help past yelling at him and blowing cold air on him, so someone needed to be there to make sure he was okay. (Though one time he passed out in the shower and Scott had to pull him out of there, soapy and naked, and the Alpha hasn't been able to look him in the eye since.)

Stiles gives an update on Derek over the radio every day and it was mortifying at first, but then Stiles started making stuff up, and Derek got excited to hear what happened to him each day.

_ “Listeners, Derek almost died today! His house was attacked as he lay in bed, trying to recover from yesterday's attack! He got poisoned with silver dust, we were barely able to keep him alive!” _

It humored him to hear Stiles antics. Stiles also didn't hesitate to gush about his crush on Derek over the radio, which made Derek's heart pound painfully in his chest.

Yet no matter how many times Stiles gushed about his feelings, Derek couldn’t help but act gruff and awkward whenever Stiles was around in real life, not knowing how to return the sentiment.

Derek slowly started to resume his work on the farm. Erica, one of the McCall pack, had been temporarily hired by the old farmer to take over Derek's duties while he was out of commission. She was incredibly grateful to have Derek back at work, but was less eager to just leave. 

She just followed him around at work. Watching.

“Can I help you?” Derek hefted a heavy bag of raw meat.

“I'm just enjoying the view,” Erika teased, lying. 

“Sure you are,” Derek rolled his eyes, knowing she was probably just making sure that he didn't overdo it.

“So tell me Derek,” Erika swung her legs from where she was perched on the feed box, “You’ve gotten pretty close to Stiles lately haven't you?” It was said as a question, but the tone was a statement.

Derek grunted in response, not necessarily encouraging this conversation.

“What do you think about him?” She asked anyway.

Derek shrugged, not satisfying her.

“Do you like him?” 

Half shrug.

“Isn't he a cutie?”

Eye roll.

“Do you like his husky voice?” 

Eyebrow raise.

“Would you fuck him?” She asked indelicately.

A bitch face was the response she got. She squinted at him, he could smell her irritation.

“You're impossible.”

_________________

 

Derek woke up naked in the preserve. Cold, damp leaves pressed into his skin like he'd been there for too long. His first thought was that he must of run out here as a wolf and just decided to stay. His concern was that he might have run out hear and collapsed from not being quite 100% cured from the UPS attack. But no, Stiles had said he was fine. 

He started walking back, and figured before he got to the edge of the preserve he would shift back into a wolf.

He made it back to his apartment with little problem. But he had to break in because he didn't have a key.

The ghost that was his roommate sat there, arms crossed as he glared at the naked Derek. " _ Stiles came over. He was worried when you weren't here." _

"What did he need," Derek huffed out, trying to act disinterested.

" _ Your dick probably, _ " the ghost replied, sounding put upon to deal with this shit, when nobody was forcing him stop stay.

"Seriously, what did he need?" Derek bared his fangs at the ghost, who rolled his noncorporeal eyes at the show.

_ "He just said he was worried about you, said he saw something bad when he was meditating and wanted to check on you. Seemed stressed _ ."

"I'll call him." Derek walked to his bedroom, unbothered by the ghost seeing him naked. He was a ghost after all. When he got to his room he saw his phone, with a missed call from Boyd, a missed call from an unknown number, 15 missed calls from Stiles, and texts from all three different people, the unknown number was apparently Scott. 

Derek just called Stiles. 

"Derek?!" Stiles answered the phone with a panic.

"Hey sorry I-" 

"I couldn't  _ see  _ you!" Stiles yelled through the phone, "I got a vision that you were in danger and then I couldn't get a hold of you and that fucking ghost was no help and after that I couldn't sense you at all!"

"Sorry, I must have shifted and gone on a run last night. I was out the whole night I guess, but I don't really remember any of it. Sorry for worrying you, I'm fine." Derek scratched his neck and grabbed a pair of briefs and then dark wash jeans. 

"You don't remember any of it?" Stiles gasped. "I'm coming over."

"You don't have to, I'm fi-" He hears knocking on his door. "What the fu-" Derek hung up the phone and went to open the door, forgetting to grab a shirt.

He opened the door to see Stiles looking and smelling distressed.

"Holy fuck, how is  _ that _ fair?!" Stiles motioned to Derek's bare chest.

Derek crossed his arms self consciously. "Were you at Boyd's?" He asked looking around at anything other than Stiles. 

"No I was at the Station. Now let me in." Stiles pushed past Derek. "You haven't showered have you?"

"No? I- I need to get to work." Derek shrugged. 

"Well that explains the blood."

Derek looked down to see blood on his stomach and arms that he somehow hadn't noticed before.

"Oh shit, what the fuck?"

"Derek I need you to sit on the island and hold still," Stiles ordered, looking very serious. Derek was kind of surprised into submission, obeying and hopping on the island. 

Stiles eyes started glowing and he hovered his hand over some of the blood on Derek's stomach. 

Derek sat still and silent watching as Stiles's face flickered through different emotions. Pain was one of them.

"It appears you fought…. A troll."

"Excuse me?" Derek asked surprised.

"It was trying to kidnap children and you were fighting it." Stiles cocked his head, "Down on the preserve. My guess is it knocked you put with forgetfulness magic to win. I think it got away with the kids."

“God, now I have to go and find it again,” Derek rubbed the bridge of his nose. Stiles backed away, the glow of his magic died down.

“Not possible, I have no idea how you even got on the preserve last time, it’s heavily guarded, nobody’s allowed in there.”

“Why?” 

“It’s been that way since the Supernatural Incident in 2010,” Stiles shrugged, “You just can’t go.”

“But if citizens aren’t allowed in there and a troll kidnapped some children and took them in there then it would make sense if someone went to get them out right?” Derek reasoned. 

“Yeah, but it can’t be you. I’ll let the police know and the secret police will send someone in there.”   
“That will take too long, just let me do it.” Derek grunted. Stiles crossed his arms.

“Derek, I can’t just let you break the law cause I like you.” Stiles insisted, “Besides, without a distraction, there’s no way that you can get past them.”

“What if… a disaster just happened to strike Beacon Hills, something big enough to warrant everyone hiding in panic rooms again, like the UPS incident.” Derek mused out loud. Stiles moved a little closer so that he was standing in between Derek’s legs. 

“That could work probably?” Stiles agreed quietly, “But you could get into a lot of trouble. What if he uses magic on you again.”

“Can you give me a spell that will give me immunity to it?” Derek asked, he felt himself being drawn closer to the radio host inexplicably. Stiles breathed heavily, his breath brushed Derek’s lips, his breath smelled like coffee. Derek could smell the slight arousal mixed with worry. “Stiles, kids are in danger.” Stiles heart beat faster and his gold eyes searched Derek’s face.

“Yeah, I’ll- shit, I’ll help you. F-for the kids.” A blush played on Stiles’ face, making his freckles and moles stand out more. 

"Thank you," Derek said softly, his face so close to Stiles'. 

  
  


Several hours later:

 

_ Everybody stop what you're doing and listen. Right now, whatever you're doing, stop and listen to me. A green fog is seeping from the preserve and it appears to be highly poisonous and deadly. No one is safe from it. It goes through gas masks.  _

_ If you're near the preserve at all you need to run and run fast. Get as far away from the preserve as you can. _

_ While you're running let me also steal your attention for another announcement. _

_ My dad's birthday is coming up and I need help deciding what to do for itml. I know this community loves nothing more than coming together to celebrate the lives of it's public servants so let me know if you have an idea. _

**_Again_ ** _ everyone, stay away from the preserve. It is dangerous. Everybody  _ **_do not inhale the green fog_ ** _.  _

_ Here's a word from our sponsor.  _

**_The reflective signs on curves of the road inspire you to think in more than 3D. But the Beacon Hills Sheriff's Police suggest that you don't let your thoughts get away from you. You're watching the road, not thinking about the Beatles. Or else._ **

_ And now the employee shout outs. Here's a shout out to Liam, he keeps things real…. Real stupid. Shut up and think about things sometimes Liam. Oh sorry Listeners. I was given the Employee Call Outs not shout outs. Sorry. _

_ Reports are coming in that the green fog coming from the preserve sizzles on contact and to make sure to avoid it completely.  _

_ And now the community calendar: It's Tuesday and you know what that means! Free Tigers Eye crystal tea at Kroger with every purchase of an amethyst or labradorite. Wednesday is student council election day at the highschool and the front runners are Tabitha Cornwell and Rimiculos Smith for student body president. Bring your throwing knives to school on Wednesday for the vote. Thursday is for the pals. Friday we set up the effigy of ExPresident Donald Trump next to the Statue of current King Barak Obama, long live the king. You are welcome to do whatever you want with it. Saturday the girl scouts start their annual popcorn sales and the boy scouts start cookie sales. _

_ That's it for the community calendar. _

_ Oh uh citizens, I'm getting a call about the fog. Here's the weather!" _

Hums of static played.

Everybody looked worriedly out their windows.

By the end of the weather the fog was retreated. 

_ "Good news Beacon Hills! The fog is gone, you can all go back to you're normal routines. Thank you for your patience. Now starts our hour of commercial free music." _

  
  


Stiles walked in to Derek's house to see him consoling crying children. A lot of them.

Like a lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hola Mishamigos! jk y'all aint the supernatural fandom.  
> Thanks for reading!


	5. Cameron

Derek and Stiles worked hard in the next week to return the children to their parents. Stiles did a little magic that helped the children to remember that Derek saved them, but not tell their parents that Derek had been in the preserve. It was tough to make that big of a spell but Stiles did it with a laugh and a Men in Black joke.

There was one kid that Derek couldn’t find the parent for. He was a little blonde haired curly headed kid with big eyes and a quiet temperament. His name was Cameron he finally spoke up quietly. When Stiles asked in a soft voice about his parents the little boy shook his head and wildly announced, “I’d rather go back with the troll!” and proceeded to talk about his brother getting beat up all the time and how “maybe daddy wouldn’t hit him if I’m not around.”  Derek had to walk away at that point and Stiles could tell exactly what he was thinking. He poured Cameron a glass of almond milk, because “no Mr. Stiles, I don’t drink cow milk, I’m allergic.” and then went to go and talk Derek out of murder. 

“I can’t let Cameron go back to an abusive home,” Derek growled at Stiles.

“Look, these things aren’t common in Beacon Hills, it won’t take much before I find out who Cameron’s family is, I’ll report them to my dad. If there’s even the slightest bit of evidence that Cameron is telling the truth than My dad will take care of it.” Stiles placated. “I think we need to find out what Cameron’s brother’s name is so that we can get him out of there.”

“Lahey,” Derek mumbled, watching Cameron through the doorway, “It was on the shirt he was wearing when I found him, it was a soccer shirt. His name is Lahey.”

“Well there’s only two Lahey families in town,” Stiles mumbled. “Could be Isaac Lahey. I remember Isaac talking about how he used to have an older brother, but he disappeared one day. But that was years ago when we were teenagers. It’s not possible-”

“Stiles this is Beacon Hills, anything is possible.” Derek interrupted with a raised brow. Stiles looked at him, looked at the concern on his face and nodded.

“Derek, I promise I’ll find out what’s going on,” Stiles finally spoke again, after him and Derek broke eye contact. “Do you mind taking care of Cameron for a little bit longer while I figure out what happened?” They both watched Cameron take care of the better half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich

“Yeah I’ll take care of him,” Derek spoke softly, “For however long it takes.”

He looked down at Stiles standing next to him and golden brown eyes met grey green ones. Stiles darted in to kiss him, hand coming to the side of his face.

Derek kissed him back as soon as he registered what was happening. Nothing crazy, just a gentle kiss, a ‘thank you’, a ‘You’re amazing’. 

A ‘please stay in my life’.

 

____________________________________

 

Derek and Cameron became best buds. Derek was taking care of him for about a week after Stiles promised to figure out what was happening with his family. Derek would bring Cam with him to work and Cam loved all the animals. 

It was a Thursday when it happened.

Derek and Cam were out grocery shopping and Derek smelled it as they were walking past an old cemetery to go to an ice cream parlor. A scent that reminded him of Cameron was mixed with the metallic smell of blood. Derek quickly hurried to the ice cream shop, spotting Allison Argent entering it. He didn't particularly like Allison that much but she was a familiar face.

"Allison, I need you to help me out and watch Cameron for a second while I go check on something." Derek practically shoved the 8 year old towards Allison and hurried off back the way he'd come. Allison earned some brownie points when Derek heard her immediately start cheerfully talking to Cameron as if nothing was wrong. 

Derek hurried into the cemetery and followed his nose. He quickly picked up on a faint heartbeat.

He tracked that faint noise to a dug out plot for a soon to be burial. There at the bottom, beaten half to death, was a young man. Derek knew just by looking at him that it had to be Isaac Lahey. Even matted in blood the curls on his head matched Cameron's. 

His heart was stopping, Derek could sense it. He pulled out his phone and called 911 before he even knew what he was doing he jumped down into the burial plot. By the time he'd finished giving information to the police, the man's heart was barely stuttering along. 

Derek felt like it was the right thing to do. He felt himself shift. And then he bit him.

There was a terrifying moment where the heart stopped. Derek held his breath. 

Then it started again. Derek watched as the man's breathing started back up and slowly his eyes fluttered open. Derek had never seen the bite take like that before, definitely unusual. The man screamed and started trying to scramble away. Which made Derek realize that he was still shifted. He quickly shifted back. 

“Hey no, its okay, its okay, I’m not going to hurt you.” Derek spoke in a soft voice, knowing that the new werewolf would be sensitive to noise. “I’m Derek,” He calmly took a step forward, watching the man carefully. He let his eyes turn red and he sent calming energy to the new beta. 

“Where am I? Why is everything so loud?” The young man doubled over, his face shifted in the agony of being overwhelmed.

“It’s okay,” Derek spoke calmly but assertively, “Focus on my heartbeat. Listen to how steady it is, nothing else.” The new werewolf was staring holes into Derek’s chest in order to focus. “Now I want you to take a deep breath through your nose. Recognize the smell of the dirt. Your own smell, and then focus your senses on me. All of them on me.”

Derek crouched next to the scared man and put his hand on the back of his neck. 

“Anchor yourself in me, I had to give you the bite so you wouldn’t die. My name is Derek Hale, I’m an alpha.” Derek buried the man’s face in his neck. “Focus on me. Can you tell me your name?”

“I-Isaac.” The young man stuttered out. “Isaac Lahey.”

Derek wanted to say he was surprised but deep down he knew his wolf knew all along. Just then he heard the police siren and an ambulance siren pulling into the cemetery. “Okay Isaac, I have to tell the police we’re over here so that they and the medics can make sure you’re okay. I’m gonna jump out but I want you to stay here, okay?”

Isaac nodded slowly and Derek pulled away, jumping out of the grave with ease. He waved over the police, relieved to see the sheriff and Parrish. He walked towards them and bit his lip nervously, having no idea how’d they react to him biting Isaac.

“I’ve got good news, bad news, and news that I’m not sure how it will go over.” Derek spoke as he walked up to them. “The bad news is, it’s Isaac Lahey and I have a good idea who did it to him. The good news is he’s fine, and alive. The questionable news is that he was dying when I got here and the only way I could help him after I called you guys was to bite him and turn him so now he’s a new werewolf.” Derek blurted it all out quickly which was unusual for him. The Sheriff and Parrish looked at each other.

“Well, non consensual turning is technically against the law,” Parrish said, hesitating, talking silently with the Sheriff via facial expressions..

“But if Stiles can verify your claim that he was literally on the edge of death, and as long as Isaac doesn’t want to press charges, we will probably be able to get you off with just a warning.” The sheriff said with a positive tone in his voice. “However, if what you and Stiles say about his dad is true then you’re gonna have to keep a close eye on Isaac with his new werewolf powers that he’s not accustomed to so he doesn’t kill his father before we have the chance to prosecute him.”

“Will do Sheriff,” Derek grinned.

“Derek!?” A panicked voice came from behind them and Derek hurried back to the grave plot to find Isaac panickedly holding his ears and cowering as far away from the medics as possible. Derek immediately recognized one of the medics as a siren who was attempting to use her siren speak to get Isaac to peacefully come out of the hole. Derek was quick to shush her and jump back down into the hole. 

“Hey Isaac, its okay.” Derek pulled Isaac into a hug. Isaac whimpered into his hug.

“That medic’s voice was hurting me,” Isaac whimpered, “But I wanted to listen to her even though it hurt, why did it hurt so bad?”

“She’s a siren, she uses her voice to compel people to listen to her, she must not be aware that new werewolves are sensitive to its magic,” Derek soothed him, using his Alpha eyes to set  calm into Isaac. “Now, if the nice medic promises not to use her siren voice again do you think you can hop out of this hole with me?” Isaac nodded and gave a brave face, pulling away determinedly.

They both hopped out and Derek informed the Siren that new werewolves were sensitive to The Voice, she apologized and promised not to use it again as her and her partner got started checking Isaac. Derek sense him before he heard him.

“Derek?” Stiles called out, Derek turned to see the radio host holding Cameron on his hip, having just finished giving Parrish a statement (which Derek assumes was about to give him just a warning instead of a legal battle). Derek walked over and looked at Cameron before smiling warmly at Stiles, "Hey, is Isaac doing okay?" Stiles asked handing the small 8 year old over to Derek. 

Derek took Cam and held him tight. Cam must have sensed something was wrong because he wrapped his arms around Derek's neck and buried his face in Derek's shoulder. "He'll need some time to adjust of course but given time and training he'll be perfectly safe. He hasn't told me what happened to him but I think I know already." 

Stiles gave a grim look before turning on the smile. "Hey Camy, wanna go meet your older-younger brother?" Stiles asked peppily. Cam turned his head so it could still rest against Derek but he could look at Stiles. He nodded. 

The three of them walked over to where the medics were finishing their check up. Isaac sniffed the air as they approached and he cocked his head at them as they approached. "Stiles? Derek? What's going on? Who's that?" 

"Isaac, listen how long ago did your older brother disappear?" Stiles asked with a gentle smile.

"15 years ago, when I was 6, why?"

"We-Derek found him. At least we're pretty sure its him.  But the problem is, he doesn't seem to have aged, he's still 8 years old. And if he really is your brother than legally we should return him to your father." Stiles spoke softly and calmly, Derek could smell the magic coming off of him, creating a calming effect. Panic still raised in Isaac's eyes and posture. 

The Sheriff walked up, "That is, son, unless you are willing to come forward and testify against your father's abuse. If he is lawfully charged as an abuser than you can legally become Cameron's guardian. Or we can find someone else if you don't feel like you can do that." 

At that time Cam unburied his face from Derek and looked distressed. "I wouldn't be with Derek anymore?" He cried out. Isaac's eyes went wide and his hand shot up to cover his mouth in shock.

"Cameron?" Isaac whispered. The 8 year old turned to look at Isaac and the boys had a moment before Isaac was suddenly sobbing. He clung onto Cameron and sobbed into his shoulder. "I thought you were dead, I thought dad killed you." He sobbed into his brothers hair. 

Parrish could be seen scribbling the exact words down off to the side. Derek looked over at Stiles who looked up at him with a slightly hopeful expression. 

Isaac stopped crying after a few minutes, during which Cameron had started crying too. Holding his brother close, Isaac turned to the Sheriff, "I wanna testify. I can't lose my brother again. Not to my dad."

There were sighs of relief all around and after another half-hour of giving information to the police, Derek took Isaac and Cameron home with them, letting them both sleep in his bedroom and him taking the pull out couch so that they could be together. Stiles went back to the Station, having put his intern in charge while he was gone.

As Stiles was closing out his radio broadcast he lead with this. 

_ "And remember folks, we are all radiation particles from different microwaves, bouncing around inside a confined box and feeling lost and chaotic, bouncing into each other. But in the end we'll always come back to those important to us and heat up someone's left over coffee. _

_ For all of us here at the radio station, I'm Stiles Stilinski. _

_ And to you Beacon Hills, Goodnight." _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a little bit more serious, but also we can appreciate a little smooch.


	6. Something Permanent

_ "Pick out your favorite pebble and get ready to throw it. Cuffing season has begun. _

_ Welcome to Beacon Hills. _

_ Listeners let's talk about what's been goin on with the local government lately. Several listeners have called in to ask me about it with concerns about possible Fae alliances being made. Might I remind the listeners that we have nothing to fear from the Fae folk. They only sometimes steal our children and very frequently lure young adults off into the preserve to be trapped for eternity. They are our friends, the council members would like everyone to 'please stop asking questions for the love of God.' _

_ I, of course, being the thorough and accountable reporter and public servant that I am, consulted Dr. Alan Deaton who was forced to councilman position against his will in 2015. He spitefully told me that he isn't allowed to say and ‘Stiles please don’t repeat this on air’. Sorry Deaton but the people deserve to hear the truth. _

_ In other news, today we said goodbye to old man Castian today. He was the old merman farmer just out of town. Last night he went out on a walk against everyone's suggestions, and collapsed from lack of water after 10 minutes. He will be missed….. have fun at the beach old man Castian! _

_ Let's go back to cuffing season folks. _

_ Might I remind you all that cuffing is meant to be literal and not metaphorical. Find your loved one and buy them a pair of new sleeve cuffs. If you're looking for someone to cuff then you send them a pair of handcuffs. _

_ I, of course, sent Derek a pair of handcuffs last night. He texted me when he got them this morning and sent me a bunch of question marks and confused emojis. He's so cute, but I forgot that Derek actually wasn't here last cuffing season and doesn't know what it means. So as soon as we go on commercial break I'll text him and tell him.  _

_ Speaking of Derek, happy 8 month anniversary of your return to Beacon Hills Derek! _

_ And now a word from our sponsors! _

 

True to his word, Stiles texted Derek as soon as the commercials started playing. He explained cuffing season as being a time where you’re trying to find your boo for the winter months and that it’s very romantic to send handcuffs to the person you’re interested in. Stiles finally (about long winded texts later) asked Derek to be his boyfriend. Which Derek of course said yes to because have you SEEN Stiles.

Isaac and Cameron, who were living with Derek now and were now his Pack, were very excited for him. Cameron seemed to have deemed Derek and Stiles his new Dads.

But this brought up a lot of problems logistically. 

Like how the Hell was Stiles supposed to be in a romantic relationship with the Alpha of one pack, while being the Second in command for a completely different pack. 

Also Isaac and Scott seemed to be getting closer as time went on so Derek was starting to get concerned about how much time their packs were spending together. He had no problem with Scott's pack, but he and Scott were both Alphas, they couldn't exactly share a pack if things between him and Stiles got serious.

Derek was also going to be moving out of the apartment soon. Apparently Castian left all of his animals to Derek when he left and wants Derek to continue to take care of them. But Castian's nephew was given the land and wants to sell it, but not to Derek, out of spite. Deaton, at the request of Ol' Merman Castian, petitioned for Derek to be given back the Hale family property which the city confiscated after the Supernatural Incident of 2012 made it nearly impossible to enter the preserve and leave it unharmed. 

The Council didn't like it, but seemed convinced when the deed to the property magically appeared in the middle of the room with Derek's name already listed. Also the Fae may or may not be have promised to protect Derek's property lines.

So Derek would be moving back to his family home which apparently had been restored to its former glory before the fire. Which was good because Isaac and Cameron were starting to need their own rooms.

Everybody seemed to like it. Scott's pack came over to see it and seemed in awe at the amount of space available to run. Boyd used Derek's kitchen to make several delicious lasagnas and lots of bread sticks.

Derek sat and watched is tiny pack interact with Scott's and felt conflicted. On the one hand, his boys really got along well with Scott's pack, and if Derek was in a relationship with Stiles it was good for everyone to get along. On the other hand, Scott was a true Alpha and Derek didn't want to risk any problems between them by both of them trying to Alpha the same group of people. And what if things with Stiles doesn't work out but his boys are already emotionally bonded to-

"Stop thinking so hard," a hand on his cheek pulled him out of his thoughts. Stiles was smiling at him, "its really loud."

"Sorry I was just-"

"Worrying about our packs getting too emotionally connected this early on in our relationship?"

"Yeah…" Derek pressed his cheek into Stiles hand, feeling a calming warmth on his face.

"Derek, how long have you been in Beacon Hills?"

"8 months."

"Okay now let me tell you something," Stiles curled into Derek's side, "Two months before you returned to Beacon Hills, I had a vision that would change my life. Now I don't typically give details of my visions unless it's absolutely necessary, but let me tell you about this one. There were two old men walking around a farm, one of them was me, the other was someone that I didn’t recognize at the time. There was a young man that ran up and called me and the other man ‘Dads’. Next thing I knew we were surrounded by a lot of people, everybody was laughing and Scott was there, he was an Alpha, this was a pack. But then I looked at the man next to me and he was also an Alpha. He was in the pack as well. Derek… that man was you. I had that vision 10 months ago and as soon as you showed up and I laid eyes on you, I knew that one day you and I would have a huge pack together, a son, and all it would take is time. And I know that this might seem scary and so sudden and permanent and I just-”

Derek kissed him hard, effectively shutting him up but also showing him how much Derek was not scared off. “Stiles, if there is one thing that I know for certain, I need something permanent. In my life. I mean, fuck my family home got burned down when I was younger, I had to bounce around from foster home to foster home with my sister after that, until she aged out. Now I live in a town where there is some new wild impossible bullshit happening everyday and I’m the only one who seems to know it shouldn’t happen like that because I’m the only person who’s been out of Beacon Hills in the past 10 years. I definitely want something permanent for once in my life.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting closer to the end folks


	7. Just a Radio Broadcast

 

_ "That wreath on your door is a gift from the Fae, beware their charms. Welcome to Beacon Hills. _

_ Everybody, Cameron started school today and let me just say, I haven't cried so hard in a while. The bus came to pick him up from the end of the dirt road that leads to Derek's house. The Skeleton Driver was so nice and patiently waited for me to stop bawling my eyes out so that Cameron could get on. Derek was a mess too, as soon as Cameron left he went right out to the barn to feed the goats without saying anything, and I heard sniffles coming from out there. Then he did the sweetest thing! He brought me fresh milk! Of course I'm lactose intolerant so I can't drink it, but he didn't know that so it's the thought that counts. _

_ In other news Alan Deaton was officially sworn in as the mayor of Beacon Hills, which is wild as I was not aware the Council Members could nominate a mayor and the City hasn't had a mayor since Mayor Whittemore stepped down back in 2014. But good luck to Mayor Deaton anyway. This of course has forced him to give up the animal clinic to Scott McCall his Successor, and our new Mayor was seen screaming and banging on the window from the top of city hall. The council didn't state their purpose for deciding to now have a mayor, and their only statement was screaming ' _ **_The polls are fair!'_ ** _ in an unearthly tone despite the fact that there were no polls or elections. Mrs. Hubbard from the East side of town, she owns the flower store, has been nominated to take Mayor Deatons spot on the council. My intern managed to get a sign language statement from the new council member in which she emphatically asked for everyone to overthrow the council to save her. I  _ **_love_ ** _ her sense of humor!  _

_ Oh ho ho folks! Let's take a look at the community calendar and announcements! On Monday there will be a showing of all of the Tom Holland Batman Movies at the drive in theater that sometimes shows up. This movie marathon will start as soon as the sun sets and the cost of admission is your left big toe or your right pinkie toe. Thursday is free coffee day at the Sheriff's department, let our city servants serve you in a different way!  _

_And now announcements. Apparently there was a man who was selling crystals on the street. After much harassment the man admitted that the crystals were blessed by angels. No one knows why'd he sell those but only time will tell. If you have bought one of those crystals, avoid putting them next to any crystals blessed by pagan gods. We_ ** _all_** _know what happened_ ** _last_** **_time_** _._

_ Before we go on to a couple hours of the same five songs you heard yesterday, with just a couple witty comments from me in between them, let's have a couple of messages from our sponsors! _

**_Only Time will tell what you did. If you want to keep your secrets, you must kill Time. Take an Uber there._ **

**_Buy fan._ **

_ And now the same five songs you heard yesterday for a couple of hours… _

_ … _

_... _

_ Well folks, it is now 7pm and our time is done. So I’ll leave you with this, If you are ever tasked with taking a magical ring back to the fires for which it was forged? Do yourself a favor and lock that baby up in a box, throw away the key, and never open it. Throw the whole damn box in that volcano and then get the fuck out of there, having avoided turning to the dark side and completed your quest with minimal problems. _

_ With that we say goodbye. Goodbye and goodnight Beacon Hills. Good night. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed a sneak peak into what Stiles does every day.


	8. Take Me to Church

Derek woke up with dim morning sun peaking through onto his face. He felt sticky, gross, and exhausted. Birds were singing outside, and Derek could hear his own breathing reverberating off the walls. He glanced around him in the faint Dawn light filtering through the windows. It appeared he was in an abandoned building. As he looked around it was like he could almost hear the drumming and eerie singing from his memory. He felt pain throbbing from his ankle and saw that his foot was caught in what looked like a bear trap. Derek growled at the pain and the sound was amplified in the empty stone building. He looked around him, the light was streaming in through broken stained glass windows with a few boards over them. This appeared to be an abandoned church, basing off of the broken pictures of baby Jesus in the stained glass, and by the broken altars at the front. Derek turned his focus back to the bear trap. It was silver, so it was useless to think his leg would heal on its own. He cut his hands a little bit in pulling the trap apart. It stung to touch but Derek pushed past that pain and tore it open with a roar. The noise of the woods stilled for a second before raising in loud chorus of fear. The birds alerting others to the presence of possible predators.

Derek limped his way over the door at the other end of the church, he opened the door to let more of the dawn in, exposing a beautiful woods, just a small fog creeping through the trees and golden sunlight starting to illuminate the plants. Derek truly had no idea where he was. He limped over to a tree and started to climb. This was difficult to do while having an injured foot, but Derek grit through the pain and climbed using as much of his arms as he could, even extending his claws to dig into the tree for extra grip. He climbed until he got up to the tree tops. He found the best foot hold he could with his good foot, and he stretched up till he could see above the tree tops. He couldn't see all of it, but it gave him a good idea. Derek saw way off in the distance the lights of a city. Weird lights floating in the sky.

Beacon Hills.

It was a long way away, with an injured leg it would take a long time to get there. 

_ Stiles can you hear me?  _ Derek thought. He and Stiles were proper bonded mates now and there were certain telepathic abilities that happen when you are bonded.

**_Derek!?_ ** Stiles thought screams into his brain.  **_Baby where are you?_ **

Derek looked around again before starting to climb down the tree. 

_ I don't know for sure. Somewhere so far deep in the preserve that even Fae don't walk here.  _ Derek realized as he said that, that there was no sign of Fae presence, no smell of magic, nothing.  _ I was in this abandoned church, know anything about it? _

There was silence for a while, Derek heard footsteps coming, light and careful. He could smell them, a pack of wolves, on the way back to their den from hunting through the night probably. He didn't know there were any real wolves in California.

**_I can't remember any stories of an abandoned church, but I seem to have a vague recollection of seeing it when I was younger. I don't know anything about it though. Just the memory of a stone church, slowly falling apart._ **

_ Yeah that sounds like the church I was in. Any idea how to get back from here? _

Derek sat still and watched the wolves pass peacefully in the early morning sun. After they were a good distance away he finished climbing down.

**_No, sorry Der, and something seems to be blocking you from my vision. It might be the church, try moving away from it._ **

_ Yeah, I'm working on it. _

Derek was finally on the ground, he shifted to wolf form, figuring it would be easier to walk with three legs than one. He limped along in wolf form and tried to sniff his way through the woods. 

_ Can you just, like, keep talking to me? How long have I been gone? _

Stiles talked to him, doing what he does best. Derek had been gone for 2 nights, having disappeared sometime a couple evenings ago. Stiles was awake when Derek called (it was about 5:45 am when Derek called for him) because Isaac was in the living room whining and it woke him up. Stiles talked about how hard it was to get Cameron to go to bed last night and how Isaac had to lay with him for an hour after he went to sleep to get Cam to stay asleep. He talked about how his dad met him for lunch yesterday and how he had let his dad have a tenderloin.

Derek kept limping. All of a sudden he smelt something so strongly of magic that he instantly headed for it. It smelled like… like Stiles.

Stiles's was calling to him through their bond but he couldn't focus on him. He was drawn forward through the woods. He walked into a clearing and felt magic coursing through him. In front of him was a huge tree stump. In the middle of the tree stump was a tiny sapling growing through the stump. The stump looked like it had been cut down. In fact… Derek looked around and noticed a lot of trees that had been cut down. It looked like someone had been clearing out trees for some sort of a construction plan. Derek limped over to the stump and sniffed it. All of a sudden the wound on his leg was healing with a bright golden glow. 

Derek shift back into human form and walked around the stump. It reeked of magic and the energy it gave off was very powerful. Stiles magic was very similar to this tree stumps. Derek vowed to do some research about it after he got out of… wherever he was and got back to Beacon Hills. 

After a good ten minutes of studying the stump Derek finally pulled himself away.

He started making his way towards Beacon Hills.

It took only about an hour of running in wolf form before he got to the edge of Beacon Hills, on the other side of the town from his property.

As soon as he stepped foot out of the preserve he passed out.

 

When he woke up it was dark out, his upper body was human and his lower body was wolf. He could see an energy field that was rippling around his waist. With a groan he pulled himself out of the rest of the preserve. As soon as he was pulled into Beacon Hills, onto the road, the rest of his body turned back into human form. He stumbled up to his feet, and instantly felt his bond with Stiles strengthen. He tiredly turned back into a wolf and loped towards the Sheriff's department. He didn't have the energy to run home.

When he got to the station, Derek turned back into a human and covered himself the best he could. He walked in and peeked around into the reception area. "Excuse me sir," Derek's voice croaked out, startling the sleepy receptionist. 

The receptionist quickly shook himself awake. "Oh hello sir! Sorry it's very early, how can I help you?"

Derek rolled his eyes mentally at the faked enthusiasm. "Do you have a sheet or blanket or something I can wrap around myself? I don't know where my clothes are."

The receptionist not so subtly checked out Derek's abdomen before quickly turning to open a utility cabinet. He pulled out a shock blanket and brought it over to Derek. 

"Sir, do you happen to be Derek Hale?" The receptionist asked after Derek finally emmerged with the blanket wrapped around him.

"Yeah!" Derek felt something release in his chest, "Did Stiles call in about me?"

"You better come with me," The receptionist nodded for Derek to come with him and started walking back. 

They came to the Sheriff's office, and the Receptionist silently opened the door.

Stiles, Isaac, Cameron, and the Sheriff were all asleep looking like they were there all night.

Derek thanks the receptionist quietly before walking over and kissing Stiles on the lips gently. Stiles woke up slowly blinking up at Derek.

"Der?" He mumbled.

"Stiles, I'm back." Derek grinned at him.

Stiles blinked all the way awake and realization hit him. "Derek! You're safe!" He leapt out of his chair and jumped on Derek, arms and legs wrapped around him. He kissed Derek hard and everybody else woke up with his exclamation.

After a great amount of hugs and kisses the Sheriff took a statement from Derek and then sent everybody home back to Derek's house.

Stiles drove home and Derek felt his heart settle now that he was back with his pack again.

Once he and Stiles were at home laying in bed, something kept tugging at the back of his mind. The smell of Stiles reminded him of that tree. What was it? Why was it cut down? Was that why the preserve is banned?

He had things to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha take me to church hahaha (fun fact I'm posting this while sitting in a sermon at my parents church)


	9. The Kitten and Other Things

_ "That house across the car lot from you is the house of the ancient gods. All so powerful and mischievous and dying. The old gods are dying. _

_ Welcome to Beacon Hills. _

_ Well folks just a little update on the kitten situation. She still prefers Cameron and I to Derek and Isaac; which makes sense as we are not part wolf. Derek is still hesitant as to whether we can keep it, claiming that a cat which is 'capable of growing ten times its size and being invisible' is not in fact, 'a good thing to keep around when you have chickens and are a werewolf Stiles'. I think he's just being stubborn, and Cam's pouty face will probably get Derek to cave in the next few days and start calling the cat Dek pûu Chaâi like we requested. More to this story as it develops. _

_ Let’s talk about school, shall we? Here in Beacon Hills we have a fantastic school system, as  everyone knows. However lately there’s been some complaint from high school students about the gym coach. They claim that having an Eldritch Abomination as a coach does not teach them anything about healthy exercise or prepare them for any of their sports, and that all it does is teach them to run faster while screaming and how to hold so still the Abomination cannot see them. _

_ I don’t know about you folks, but I feel like havin the EA as my coach has done great things in my development as a person and that the skills that students learn in Coach El’s P.E. class is extremely important. So try as the students might to get Coach El kicked out, we all know that it won’t work.  _ **_It never has worked_ ** _. _

 

Derek shook his head as he worked on fixing the feed room in the chicken barn. He was working on making it surrounded with Lead Walls, because that seems to be the only thing to keep these fucking monstrosities of birds out of it. Apparently, here in Beacon Hills, lead poisoning isn’t actually a thing.

He texted Stiles after brushing lead off his hands.

<< We’re not keeping the cat.

>> _ I already signed the paperwork and Cam picked out a collar for him. _

<< Shouldn’t we have made this choice together?

>> _ You said that I could do whatever I wanted last night ;) _

Derek blushed. A little.

<< I would have said anything you wanted last night. That doesn’t count.

>> _ It’s not my fault you’re eager to agree to anything I want during sexytimes ;)))) _

>> _ Besides, you know that I’m sneaky like that. _

<< I’ve suddenly decided to become celibate. 

>> _ NOOooooo Derek! _

>> _ Not funny! _

<< Neither is taking my non-clear-headed consent and using it against me.

>> _ Okay I’m sorry. I didn’t sign the paperwork anyway it requires both of ours signatures, so we’ll talk tonight about it. Okay? _

<< That’s better, we’ll talk later.

<< I love you

>> _ I love you too!!! :D _

>> _ Also would you take my dad lunch? _

>> _ He mentioned a pizza party at work, and I can’t let him eat that shit _

>> _ His body can’t digest that sort of food as well any more _

>> _ He’s got bad cholesteral _

>> _ **Cholesterol _

<< Ik Stiles, I already took him heart healthy pizza option.

>> _ You are THE love of my LIFE _

>> _ Oops Ads are done gtg _

>> _ Love you! _

<<Love you too

Derek walked back to the house after finishing in the chicken barn.

Isaac was putting on his pin for his job at the library. He looked up at Derek, "I'm gonna spend the night at Scott's."

"Oh are you sure? I know your panic attacks have gotten a lot better, but you haven't slept away from Cameron since we moved out here." Derek opened up his posture remembering that Stiles told him he needed to stop closing himself off during conversations  _ "It's intimidating Der-bear"  _

Isaac just rolled his eyes at his Alpha, "I know  _ dad _ , I'm sure."

Derek just nodded and gave him a smile, "Give me a call if you need anything okay?" Isaac grinned and nodded back at him and finished getting ready for work.

After Isaac left, Derek went into his study and grabbed the books he'd been working through. He was lucky that Beacon Hills decided not to ban books or writing. There was a very well kept record of Beacon Hills history, all the way from its foundation, through the rise of supernatural happenings, up until the most recent election of Deacon. 

He started with the beginning of Beacon Hills and work his way through the ancient books, line by line, looking for any mention of a magic tree. He worked studiously and meticulously, making intense notes, looking at maps that matched each era of Beacon Hills history.

What he was finding, tiny mention for tiny mention, was a deep history of magic and witchcraft in Beacon Hills. A sketch of that old church, that Derek was trapped in, was referenced in line in a history book talking about old witching ground. It was built by the Catholic Church to cast dark magic out of Beacon Hills. 

Derek had made it all the way up to the 1920s by the time Cameron got home from school. He took off his reading glasses and stretched his fingers as he prepared to go and help with homework.

A few hours into math homework (" _ I don't understand! How do you change math!" _ ) and two mugs of hot chocolate later, Stiles got home, toting the cat with him from out on the front porch where Derek had left him in a box with blankets and warm cat food.

Stiles kissed Cameron on the head and Derek on the back of the neck, he ruffled Derek's hair behind his ear. "Hey guys, how's it going?"

"I hate Math," Derek crossed his arms grumpily.

"It's not that hard papa," Cameron rolled his eyes, he looked up at Stiles, "We would have been done an hour ago but papa had to do it  _ his  _ way."

Stiles chuckled and bent Derek's head back so he could kiss his forehead. "School evolves babe, it's okay."

"It's 3rd grade math!" Derek threw his hands up with a growl. This caused Cam and Stiles to dissolve into giggles. Derek fondly rolled his eyes, fake grumpiness on his face. "Fine, then you help him with the rest of his homework, I'll go make dinner." Derek took the Kitten out of Stiles hands and pushed the radio host down into the seat he'd just vacated. Derek kissed Stiles on the cheek and walked away into the kitchen.

He muttered frustration to the kitten before setting him down on the floor by a bowl of water. 

Stiles hadn't been very happy about Derek throwing away all the unnecessary meats, like Bacon. Derek had decided to reduce their environmental footprint by eating less beef and pork. In fact if Isaac wasn't home for dinner and they didn't have any guests, Derek normally made a vegetarian meal. Today he made tofu curry and it wasn't even 20 minutes later that Stiles and Cam walked into the kitchen hungry for dinner.

The rest of the night was spent reading and watching TV after chores were done.

And when they were laying in bed trying to go to sleep, Derek took a deep sniff of Stiles, vaguely reminded of that tree. Something hit him just as he was going to sleep. Maybe Stiles got his magic from the tree.

 

____________________________

 

Stiles and Derek got married on the one year anniversary of Derek coming to Beacon Hills. It didn't necessarily change much, their last names were hyphenated and Stiles was now a legal guardian of Cameron, but it also didn't make any sense  _ not  _ to get married.

Cameron had recently turned 9, they had started taking him to the school counselor, because she was the only person close to a psychiatrist, for his paranoia episodes that had started happening. He'd be in the middle of playing and all of a sudden he'd get very distressed and would hurry over to Derek and climb into his lap and refuse to move. Most of the time while crying. Between the Counselor, Isaac, and Stiles, they figured out that this was the time of year he'd first gotten kidnapped all that time ago.

Cameron started sleeping with Stiles and Derek, often Isaac would join too and it would be a big pack pile. 

Derek filled every previously unoccupied part of his day with studying Beacon Hills history and making a specific History of Magic book for Beacon Hills. He had an idea of what exactly caused the Supernatural incident. But without going out to that tree stump to verify what it was, he was stuck without a solid answer.

It was after spending months pouring over every book about Beacon Hills History, and over every newspaper, or even every court hearing he could get his hands on. He tried to talk to a few elderly people, but they either didn't want to talk to him or only wanted to talk about his family. 

It had taken about 4 months for Derek to give up and lose his shit. He was no closer to solving the mystery of Beacon Hills. Winter was coming, the air was bitter for California and the stores had sold out of all of their coats. 

This is the last thing that Derek took notice of when he made the decision to go back into the preserve.

The only thing that he could think of to solve this mystery was to go to what he believed was the source.

The only thing,  _ the only thing  _ that Derek had found to help him was a tiny reference to the town working on making a new camping grounds back in 2011. It was early in the morning, before 5 am, when Derek restlessly awoke and decided to leave. He wrote a note saying that he'd gotten a call and had to go do some business out of town. Then he packed a small bag with some food, grabbed the only coat he had, which was a leather jacket, and then he went hiking. He had to run around the edge of town to where he had first fallen out of the preserve that one morning. With a deep breath, he shoved himself through the force field. It felt like something coursed through him and deemed him worthy. Derek got through the force field and found himself in a clearing in the preserve. All senses claimed Beacon Hills was nowhere near him. But if he looked over his shoulder he could see the town through the tree line. He caught just a whiff of the magical smell. He took off his clothes, put them in his bag, and with that he shifted into a wolf and started loping towards the smell. It took an hour but he finally found the area where all the trees had gotten cut down. And there it was, the tiny sapling was a little bit bigger and it shimmered gold. Derek turned back into a human and walked towards it.

It felt like the tree was calling him towards it. 

He walked over to the stump, sat on it, and brushed his finger over the still green leaves of the sapling.

He felt like he was falling.


	10. Six months

_ "Good morning listeners, and happy New year. We survived yet another year, and look forward to however much time we have left. _

_ Scott, Boyd, and Erica all moved in over the weekend. It's been hard trying to take care of the boys and the farm all by myself, even with few weeks I had off. So Erica is going to take care of the farm, Scott is a veterinarian so he can help the goats give birth, Boyd can help cook so Isaac doesn't have to heat up frozen dinners anymore, and all of them being there will make the house feel less empty and help Isaac with the werewolf need to have a pack and an alpha.  _

_ Cameron…. Still isn't talking much. He spends all of his time studying, and he has all A's now. But he still can't sleep alone at night, and neither can I. So for now he and I are roommates.  _

_ Derek, if you can hear me? Please come home.  _

_ And now to the community calendar." _

 

____________________

 

_ "Happy Valentine's day Beacon Hills, we celebrate this year by putting a saint to death and by marrying two random people.  _

_ I'm pleased to announce that Scott, in true Scott fashion, let it slip to Isaac, over the weekend, that he was planning to propose today. Which would have been corny as hell. But Isaac already said yes anyway so they are engaged now. _

_ Cameron received many Valentine's cards at school today, which was exciting. He promised to share some of the chocolate with me. _

_ Derek, it's been nearly four months since you disappeared. I miss you every day. But especially today, I just wanted to remind you that I love you, and urge you to come home. _

_ And now a word from our sponsors:" _

 

_____________________

 

_ "Honestly fuck you Derek. It's the anniversary of the first time you asked me out on a real date. I've got the wedding ring on my finger that you gave me. You promised to be here, in sickness and in health. Fuck you.  _

_ Cameron finally asked if you were ever going to come back. I'm wondering the same fucking thing. _

_ I know you're not dead, Isaac would be able to tell. So where the fuck are you!" _

 

_ _______________________ _

 

_ "The sun was purple this morning, Beacon Hills, it's the first day of spring, so get out and enjoy it. You'll never know when it will go away. _

_ Today Scott and I are taking the whole pack out for Cameron's birthday! We're going to go to a nice dinner and then we're going to rent a few movies and have a movie marathon with Vegan ice cream and lots of popcorn. _

_ Lydia and I were having a conversation over dinner last night and I was starting to think that perhaps I should get rabbits for the farm. But she convinced me to get snakes instead, so I'm excited to announce that now I have an anaconda! Dek pûu Chaâi doesn't like it, but since she's a house cat and the snake is a barn snake, hopefully there won't be any problem. _

_ And now to the weather" _

______________

 

When Derek woke up, it was spring and there was vines and other flora that had grown over the top of him. His claws were over grown, and as he sat up stiffly, he noticed that he had quite the beard growth and he'd lost a bunch of weight.

And he knew. 

He knew everything.

In 2011, the Beacon Hills Town council approved the development of a new Camping Grounds to hopefully pull in some tourism. They started felling some trees at the end of 2011, and on January 10th, 2012, they struck the fatal blow against a particular, ancient tree. The Nemeton

There had been folklore about this tree, the elderly of the town had protested the felling of this particular tree. Stories of fae, witches, and creatures beyond the imagination it man, these came back up to the surface.

There was an organization, deeply involved in the history and lore of Beacon Hills, they met in the old abandoned church, and they even tried to chain themselves to the tree. But this city had them removed and the tree was felled on January 10th. 

Upon the final blow, an explosion of magic rippled across Beacon Hills. All of the tree cutters had died, the protestors killed themselves. And a shift happened in the entire town. 

It would have been a lot more fatal if it hadn't have been for one particular teenager, a spark, with the light of magic inside of him, who made it to the tree to late. When the magic exploded, This teenager took and absorbed the brunt of the explosion. 

That teenager was Stiles Stilinski. Stiles was the only reason Beacon Hills hadn't dissolved into madness and become a ghost town. He found himself in a position of becoming a voice for the people to listen to. And they did. 

Nothing was ever the same, but because of Stiles, Beacon Hills adapted. And before long, it was almost as if life before the explosion had never happened. 

Derek looked down at the Nemeton in awe, and there, on his arm, he saw a simple spiral it matched the spiral around the tree. He felt a connection to this tree, the heart of magic.

With the burden of this knowledge, Derek pulled himself to his feet. He looked around, and next to the stump he barely saw his bag, dirty and wet, that he'd come here with, who knows how long ago. 

A shock of information rushed through him. He'd been here for 5 and a half months, and he immediately knew all of the things that he missed during then.

Almost immediately after that knowledge happened, he felt his bond to Stiles open up..  sorta, instead of thoughts, like they used to share, Derek just got feelings. Loneliness, anger, sadness. That was not good. If a bond regresses, it's not good at all.

Derek ran back to Beacon Hills. Just before he passed the force field, he got out his clothes, stiff and disgusting and musty. He pushed through the force field and stumbled onto the street. 

And immediately got hit by a car. 

 

________________________________

 

Derek woke up in a hospital room, he felt disconnected from his body, but he forced his eyes open and he looked into Stiles cautious face.

He sighed in relief.

"Stiles," he said with a smile. His smile was met with caution turning into coldness. It felt like the entire hospital got colder. "I can explain."

"I'm sure." Stiles crossed his arms and sat back. His face passive. 

"I-.... Where's Cameron?"

"He's at school. Has been."

"Does he know?"

"No."

Derek felt pain strike through his heart, Stiles was purposely blocking their connection.

"Stiles I didn't mean to leave," Derek sighed pushing himself up on the bed to sit up more.

"That's not what your note said. And then I couldn't see you… You left on purpose."

"I kinda lied in my note. I was in the preserve."

"For 6 months?"

Derek fiddled with his IV port. "I went to the Nemeton," he admitted. "I went to find out what happened to Beacon Hills."

A doctor walked in then and excitedly rushed to give Derek an update. In an impossibly quick amount of time, Derek was discharged from the hospital with direct orders to eat plenty of food to work on gaining back his weight. 

Stiles drove him back to the farm and they spent most of the ride in Silence, Derek looked down at his dirty clothes that he had changed back into when he left the hospital. When he'd gotten changed he had put back on his wedding ring, and now he stared at it.

He noticed Stiles still had his on. But on the middle finger, and it looked big. Come to think of it, Stiles hands looked bonier than Derek remembered. Derek glanced down at Stiles jeans, not allowing himself to give his very upset husband a once over. The jeans seemed loose. But like Derek's were on him. Derek went back to staring at his hands. Then to the leather jacket on his lap that he was holding.

Then it was like he was zapped into a completely different situation. 

_ He looked around the room and saw hunters around him… no, her. He wasn't the one tied up. Laura. Laura was. But Derek was her. A hunter lunged at them with a tazor and roared pain and jerked to the side.  _

_ He opened his eyes to find himself in circle wearing a hooded robe. He was swaying and chanting. In the circle was someone who looked familiar, she looked sick and frail. They were trying to cure her. _

"Derek!" A rough shake roused him. Derek blinked open his eyes to find himself in Stiles car, looking at his farmhouse. Stiles was in the driver's seat, looking concerned and confused.

It took some blinking, but he finally became fully aware of himself and managed to get out of the car. Absent-mindedly he patted around him for his keys. But they had been in his bag and his bag was…. In police custody. 

Derek could smell overwhelmingly Scott's pack. But he couldn't get it in him to care. He understood why they were here.

"So," Stiles said as he walked passed Derek to the house, "You abandoned us to go to see a non-existent magical tree of the soul of the world?"

Derek resisted the urge to get defensive. 

"It's real Stiles, I went to it. Like I said, to find out what happened to Beacon Hills. But as soon as I touched it, I fell unconscious. When I woke up, it was six months later, and with a magical knowledge of everything happened in Beacon Hills."

Stiles held on to the doorknob with closed off posture. He took a deep breath and opened the door. 

Isaac was stood in the hallway and he let out a sob upon seeing Derek. He rushed into the weakened Alpha's arms. Shoving his face into Derek's neck. 

He jerked back almost just quickly, "You smell different." He commented before deciding that it was worth it and going back to scent marking Derek. Derek about cried at the first sensation of openly shown emotions since he woke up. Scratch that, he did cry. He felt the weakness in his bones as he held on tightly to Isaac as if he was trying to protect him. But he was too weak to, even if he had to. 

He felt something rolling down his cheek, and suddenly his vision was really blurry. He felt the sobs racking his body as his protective hug turned into desperate clinging. "I'm so sorry," he sobbed.

He couldn't even hear Isaac's heart racing at the sudden collapse of his alpha.

It was like everything fully hit.

When Derek calmed down he found himself in his and Stiles bedroom, it smelled of only his pack in here. He pulled himself away from Isaac's and, surprisingly, Stiles's comforting embrace. He felt their stares like physically weight, and his heart broke more for how much pain he inflicted on them, just because of his selfish search for knowledge he could live without.

"I," he finally spoke again, voice rough, "I should go take a shower. I must smell and look terrible." He scooted himself to the edge of the bed and stood on shaky legs. Neither his husband nor his beta spoke as he walked towards the master bath in silence.

He chose to block out their whispered conversation, in favor of grabbing a towel and undressing. Standing in front of the mirror, he could finally see how much weight he'd actually lost, his stomach was concave, his ribs pronounced, hipbones sharp, and his face taut. He shook his head at his appearance and got into the shower

He'd just finished washing a huge portion of the dirt and grime off, and he felt dizzy. With a thud he sat on the floor of the shower, letting the water flow over him. He stayed there for too long apparently, because the door slowly opened and all of a sudden Stiles was grabbing shampoo and rubbing it through his hair.

Neither of them spoke as Stiles helped Derek finish cleaning. When Derek was out of the shower, Stiles got out a beard trimmer and started shaving Derek's beard, before starting on his hair. 

After he was done he silently helped Derek back into the bedroom. Derek notice there were clean sheets on the bed. He managed to get into sweats and a t-shirt before climbing into bed. 

Stiles, still silent turned to go, but Derek caught his wrist, "I will do whatever I can to make up for what I did. I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry. I love you so much and I don't deserve anything you've done for me."

Stiles smiled sadly at him, a tiny bit of anger laced in his posture. "I may never forgive you Derek. And you have a lot to do to re-earn my trust, but this is your home, your pack, and I'm your husband. Even if I want to strangle you, I'm still going to take care of you."

Derek felt tears in his eyes again as Stiles nodded his good bye and walked out of the room, leaving Derek alone and with an empty hand.

20 minutes later, Derek was fast asleep.

 

Derek woke up with Cameron snuggled into his chest. The boy was asleep, and seemingly so much bigger than before. He stirred soon after Derek though and grinned at him.

"Hey dad, I'm so happy you are back."


	11. Mending

_ "Hope you've got your iron hats on and your wooden gloves ready. It's Rabbit day. Welcome To Beacon Hills... _

_ Listeners, let me tell you all something. The herb garden I started is growing beautifully. My lavender already has blooms started." _

 

Derek spaced out at this moment, he had one half eaten egg and two cold eggs on a plate in front of him. A cup of coffee sat in front of him, also nearly cold. He took an absent-minded sip of his cool coffee, and closes his eyes at the bitter taste. Flashes of scenes throughout history in Beacon Hills, from even before it was Beacon Hills, flashed through his mind. Derek shook himself out of his stupor and grabbed his plate of eggs, he dumped them in the cat's food bowl and watched as Dek eyes him before gracefully walking over and maniacally inhaling all the eggs.

She looked back at him, offended by his lack of more food. 

He just walked by, walking outside. 

There was a magic shield around the property that prevented Derek from leaving without Stiles. This was done per Derek's request, just in case something possesses him and makes him try to leave. Or kidnaps him like that one time with the church.

But that does restrict what he does now.

He sat on the back deck and watched the goats in their little fenced in area. 

"God you look miserable," Erika's voice came from across the yard by the chicken shed. He looked over and saw her standing with a chicken under one arm and her hand on her other hip. He waved silently. "Can't even say hi?"

Erika tossed the chicken back in the pen and walked over.

"Hey," Derek grunted.

"I thought the goats were depressing to talk to," Erika chuckled at him. 

"Well you did start the conversation with 'God you look miserable', it's not like you are starting an amazingly interesting conversation."

"It could be. But you're just not willing to talk about your issues," Erica sat next to him.

"I've been back for not even 24 hours Erica, Jesus. Too soon much?"

"What are you a highschooler? No one says too soon much anymore."

"So that changed in the past six months too?" Derek snorted.

"Try the past decade old man." 

_ Derek's vision was taken over and he felt like he was running through the woods. He could hear the voices " _ Try running as far as you can old man! We'll still catch you _." He could tell he was a wolf. He smelled silver dust and felt the burning on his skin. He saw the Nemeton ahead of him and kept running. _

**Smack!**

"Derek!" Smack "Wake!" Smack "Up!".

Derek jerked back to the present and his heartbeat was going faster than it EVER had to before.

His eyes focused on Erika just as she was going to smack him again and she froze.

"Derek?"

"I'm back," Derek breathed out. He could feel himself shaking.

"You were having a panic attack or a seizure it something!" Erika grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him back up into the chair. 

"Sorry, it was a flashback."

"Like PTSD?"

"No, like a flashback to the past."

"So PTSD."

"No! Like a… ah…" Derek waved his hand around as he struggled for the word. 

"Like a what?" 

"Like a vision! Like a fucking vision of the past, okay!?" Derek finally said with a frustrated sigh. Erika sat down with a hard thud. Derek sighed and rubbed his face, "When I- with the tree- I just…" Derek dropped his face down into his hands and took a second to try and figure out how to explain it to her. "I don't know how much Stiles has told you, but the reason I was gone to so long is because I had gone back into the preserve to find the Nemeton and hopefully learn about how Beacon Hills became the way it is."

"The Nemeton isn't real."

"Actually it is real, I found it, and the second I touched it I fell unconscious." Derek explained, "The Nemeton gave me all the knowledge of the history of Beacon Hills, from even before it was a town all the way to now." He rubbed his temple, "I think these visions are because of that. They'll probably lessen with time."

Erika sat there and looked at him like he'd grown another head. "Did Stiles believe you?"

"I don't know," Derek shrugged. He stared at the woods, "If he does, it doesn't matter, it won't lessen the pain I caused him and my pack."

Erika turned and looked out at the woods with him.

They sat in silence for a while before Erika looked at her phone. "Well, I've got to go to work. Isaac will be back in time to do the evening chores, you go relax and eat more food."

Derek nodded silently. When Erika said bye, he just grunted a response and stared off into space.

About an hour later Derek went back into the house and decided to do the laundry and clean. 

 

"Derek! Fuck!" Stiles woke him up at 3pm, with panic on his face. Derek's head hurt and his arm was throbbing. He then noticed the blood and the glass and the broken coffee table. In his uninjured hand was the dust cloth he'd been dusting the bookshelf with when he fell unconscious to visions.

Derek just groaned, he tried to shift his injured arm and cried out as the glass recut open the flesh that had healed around it in his arm. 

"Okay careful," Stiles grabbed his uninjured arm and helped pull him out of the broken table.

Derek stumbled and Stiles had to support him to keep him from falling again. He pulled Derek into the closest bathroom and sat him on the toilet. 

"I came home to be here when Cam got home and this is what I came home too? What the fuck happened?"

"I was cleaning," Derek groaned as Stiles got out rubbing alcohol and prepared to remove the glass. "And then I must have passed out with visions." Derek mumbled. "Though I don't remember that much of it." He said softly. Suddenly Derek cocked his head. "The bus is here. Cam-"

"The blood," they both said at the same time with horror on their faces. 

"Go," Derek nodded, wincing in pain at the movement, Stiles seemed to hesitate at Derek's pain, but the desire to prevent Cameron from seeing all the blood in the living room won out and Stiles hurried out of the bathroom.

Derek grit his teeth and stood to face the mirror. He started with his face first, pouring a little bit of alcohol into the first major cut at the same time that he pulled out the glass. He hissed in pain but continued on in the same way. He started from the bottom and worked his way up so that he would always be able to see where the glass was without having to stop to wipe off the blood. The sink and his shirt were an Absolute Mess. Finally all the glass he could see was out of his face, and he'd poured rubbing alcohol over all of it. So he started on to the arm next. About a quarter of the way through his arm, Stiles came back. It had been a while, but then Derek smelled the antiseptic and understood that Stiles had been cleaning the living room. He felt guilt dash through him and he couldn't make eye contact with Stiles. 

"You know, you should probably have been cleaning off your face as you went along." Stiles commented as he grabbed a dark wash cloth and walked over. Derek reached to grab the wash cloth but Stiles just reached past him and turned on the water in the sink and let it run over the cloth. Derek again held his hand out for it but Stiles just turned Derek's face so that he could better access Derek's cheek. Gently Stiles started cleaning the blood off of Derek's face. Derek just looked down at the floor and pretended that the still healing cuts didn't hurt when Stiles wiped over them. 

When Stiles was finished with Derek's face he grabbed some medical scissors from the medicine cabinet and started cutting Derek's sleeve so he could take off Derek's ruined shirt without irritating the glass filled cuts even more. 

Derek heard the sharp intake of air when his shirt came off and revealed his skeletal torso. It wasn't surprise, Stiles knew how much weight Derek had lost. But Derek could smell the sadness and concern on Stiles. Tears pricked at his eyes.

Then he felt it, Stiles had fully unblocked their emotional bond connection. Stiles paused for a second once he'd done so, and that's when the surprise happened. Derek shied away from Stiles's questioning emotions. And even physically curled in on himself.

"Derek," Stiles started to say.

"You should go take care of Cameron, make sure he's not getting too curious." Derek interrupted. He turned sharply towards the mirror and picked back up the tweezers he'd gotten out for the small pieces of glass. 

He felt a tinge of anger over their bond, but it was overcome by saddened understanding. 

"Yeah, good idea." Stiles set the washcloth in the sink and turned to the door. 

Derek didn't say anything else, even though it seemed like he was supposed to. He just continued his work on his arm.

About 20 minutes later everything was out of his arm and it had been sanitized and washed off. Derek grabbed a bathrobe that appeared to be Erika's and he put it on. It was a testament to how much weight he'd loss that he actually kinda fit. He managed to sneak upstairs to his and Stiles bedroom without alerting Cameron to his presence. Derek took off the robe and his sweatpants and he fell into bed.

It didn't take long for exhaustion to take him over as his body tried to heal itself.

 

_____________________________________________________

  
  


Derek laughed at the joke that Cameron had told him as they walked through the store. Erika, Boyd, Stiles, Cameron, and him had all decided to go furniture shopping. Erika and Boyd wanted to redo their bedroom (they had even asked Derek for permission. Derek gave her a funny look and said that it was their house too so they can change their room if they want. He'd recently had a similar conversation with Scott actually.) and Cameron was helping them redecorate the living room, since the coffee table and rug had to be replaced. The couch actually needed replaced too for multiple reasons, but Derek had also splattered blood on it too. 

Derek was holding on to the cart, Stiles had insisted on it. Stiles had kept their emotional connection open since the incident and Derek could feel the vaguely apprehensive happiness coming from his husband. 

Scott and Isaac had taken the opportunity of everyone else being gone for the evening, so they could have a date night. So the five of them were given distinct instructions to not come back till it was time for Cam to go to bed. So they'd gone to eat dinner, then they are shopping, and then they will go see a movie. 

Derek was so lost in his thoughts about their evening plans that he was startled when Stiles hand came to rest on his right side. He gave a tiny start and Stiles started to retreat his hand. Derek grabbed it with his left hand before Stiles could fully retreat. He looked at Stiles with a hopeful look as he adjusted his hold to lace his fingers through Stiles's. Stiles smiled at him and gave his hand a squeeze. 

They walked like that, steering with the help of Cameron and holding hands with Stiles. It had been a week since Derek got back from the Nemeton, and this was the first time he felt any sort of normalcy since.

By the end of the evening, they'd bought all of the new furniture they needed, and we're going to have it delivered the next week.

They went to the movie next and Derek revelled in being able to feel Stiles emotions through the whole movie.

Boyd was carrying Cameron in to bed as he was already fast asleep from the drive back. Erika walked in with him, holding way too many boxes than any normal person would. Derek went to grab some but Stiles stopped him. With a hand on his chest. 

Derek turned to him and raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, I'm-" Stiles sighed, he moved his other hand to Derek's chest, "I am  _ so _ proud of how far you've come in just a week. And I… believe you."

"What?" Derek's eyes jerked up to Stiles face from where they'd been resting on Stiles's hands.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you before. I should have. You're my husband and I promised that I would be with you through everything. And because I was hurt, I closed myself off. If I hadn't have I would have known sooner that you were telling the truth."

"Stiles you don't have to-"

"No," Stiles squeezed his shirt, "I need to say this… After I reopened our emotional bond, I realized just how honest you were about it. And how much you really regretted it and how it pained you to have done that to us. And it made me realize that I was blaming you for something you had no control over. So I talked to Deaton and he explain the lore of the Nemeton and how it has played a huge part in Beacon Hills History, even if no one believes it exists anymore. So I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry for not trusting you."

"I'm sorry for leaving," Derek's arms came around Stiles's sides and he hugged him closer.

"I know, and I forgive you." Stiles looked up at him with a smile, "I wanted to ask if you were ready and willing to fully restore our mate bond."

Derek surged forward with a kiss as his answer, and he felt the block on their bond completely disappear. After a few moments of kissing Derek pulled away, kissing Stiles's forehead as he looked at the rising moon. 

"I love you."

"I love you too Derek."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate angst so obviously I had to immediately make up for it with fluff


	12. Happily Ever After

 

Derek wrote down the last of his vision just as the school bus got home. It was the last day of school for the year, and Derek could hear how excited the last few kids on the school bus were to be done. Cameron’s footsteps could be heard as his feet pounded against the gravel of their driveway. He ran breathlessly into the house. Derek could hear his backpack being tossed against the couch and Cameron’s heavy footsteps running down the hall towards him. Cameron burst through the door of Derek’s office with a triumphant shout.

“I’m done!! I’m done and Sarah Mitchelson said that she wanted to hang out over the summer and Samuel Mitchelson said that he wanted to show me their swimming pool with a slide!” Cameron launched himself at Derek, who caught him easily and tossed his son up into the air  out of excitement. 

“Good job buddy!” Derek pulled him into a tight hug. “I’m so proud of you!” 

Derek carried Cam on his back as he bounced his way to the kitchen. He was glad that he was able to make his 9 year old squeal in laughter at his theatrics. 

They fixed a snack together before heading to the backyard to work on Cam’s hideout. Which was really just a cool shed behind a couple of bushes that they were putting everything a boy could need for the summer in. They sat on the small beaten up loveseat that Melissa McCall had donated to Cameron, and ate their snacks with some lemonade. Cameron and Derek then set about doing the afternoon chores and playing with Dek Puu Chai till Stiles came home. 

Tonight the entire Hale-McCall pack was having a BBQ to celebrate Cameron’s first real summer break since his rescue.

Tomorrow, Scott and Isaac were taking Cameron to a water park, and Derek and Stiles were going camping. The day after, Cameron and Isaac were going to join them camping, and they would camp for the rest of the week. 

Derek was still getting the visions, but he could tell when they were coming now, and could safely stop whatever he was doing before it hit. Stiles still wanted to wait another month before letting Derek start driving again. But it was still significant progress, and Derek had a feeling that part of it was because of his connection with Stiles. 

That night the BBQ was a wildly fun time with the pack. It was warmer than usual for the beginning of June, so after dinner they had a water balloon fight. Scott’s team won, but that was just because Stiles sided with him and they definitely cheated. Stiles just claimed that Derek and him hadn’t been married long enough to cancel out the lifelong connection that he and Scott had as bros. But it was fine because Cameron was on that team too and he had a great time.

After the water balloon fight, they started a fire and told different funny stories. Derek spun this fantasy tale about The Foolish Lumberjack and the Protector of the Forest. Stiles told a story about the Ghost Boy in the Diner named Chuck. Sheriff Stilinski told a story about Stiles’s crazy adventures as a kid that had everybody except Stiles in stitches. 

After Cameron went to bed, Derek gave everybody a look and they all cleared out, leaving him and Stiles alone by the fire. 

“I wanted to tell you about a vision I had today,” Derek said as he pulled Stiles into his side. Stiles hummed for him to tell him. “It was the full vision to a portion of one that I had gotten while in the hospital.” Stiles was silent but Derek could feel, over their bond, the encouragement to continue. 

“It started with, whomever’s body I was in, gathering ingredients. Crazy and volatile magical ingredients. Before joining a group of people out by the Nemeton. Whoever I was, that person was a werewolf, but also in a coven of magic users. They all wore cloaks, and one of them drew two symbols on the ground, each big enough for a person to lay on. All of the cloaked people performed a quick cleansing ritual of the space, and then a charging ritual. Finally three people, not in cloaks, walked into the clearing around the Nemeton. They were being led by an old werewolf Alpha from back when I was a kid, his name was Deucalion. One of them was a beautiful woman, she looked rather frail, and kinda sick, however. The other was a small child, he looked a lot like the woman, his mother but the eyes were different. A dull brown, where his mother’s eyes were a warm brown. The third was a strong, sad looking man. He looked resigned but curious.

First the man and woman convinced the little boy to lay down on the symbol. The Coven covered him with oil and white Lilies, and surrounded him with crystals. Then they all started chanting and moving around the boy, each would stop and place their hand on his head and chant a line. Magic from the Nemeton surrounded the boy and soon they all stopped and had him get up. The man, his father, covered him with a towel and held him close. All the while the Coven prepared the woman, laying her down on the second symbol. 

They used the same ingredients, but with something extra, a phoenix feather was placed on her forehead. They then started chanting, just like they had, but it was different. The goal was different. At this point in the vision I understood that the ritual done on the boy was a protection ritual, to keep him from developing a very specific problem. For the woman, however, the goal was to remove the problem that she had already developed. They all chanted and they swayed back and forth, trying to build up a lot of magical energy. But the Nemeton did not respond like it had with the little boy. They were unable to draw its healing power, and all they could do was delay the effects on the woman. The Phoenix feather had changed colors and burnt up.”

Stiles pulled away from him and looked him in the eye, “Derek-” he started to interrupt. 

“When everything was over with, the person who’s eyes I was looking through walked up to the woman. She said, ‘I’m so sorry Claudia, but we could not take it out of your brain. The damage was too severe, for us to remove without the Nemeton.’ and then the woman looked me in the eyes and said, ‘It’s okay, you helped Mieczyslaw, so he would never develop it. I would rather save him then me. And the Nemeton spoke to me, it told me that this needed to be done. I have to die. But thank you for your help’.”

“Derek-”

“Stiles… it was your mother. She asked the coven to protect you from developing the same illness as her, and then she had it erased from you and your father’s memories. To protect you. The Nemeton told her. It told her the future, and how important you are.”

Stiles was crying, his shoulders shaking. He had once explained what happened to his mother to Derek, but he and John never really talked about her. Derek had always known there were some unanswered questions in relation to how Stiles never developed it. And now he knew. 

“Your mother has always protected you.” Derek kissed the top of Stiles head, “I only wish I could use my visions to thank her.” Stiles looked up at him and Derek wiped his cheeks before pressing a kiss to his forehead. 

Stiles pulled him into a kiss, and then into a hug afterwards.

“Thank you.” He whispered into Derek’s neck.

.

.

Stiles and Derek were having lunch with Charlie, the diner ghost. The boy had started talking to them now, using pads of paper and pens to write out his questions. 

All of a sudden he asked Stiles why he had never tried to turn him into a real boy. Derek and Stiles looked at each other and had a silent conversation about if that would even work, and if that did work then would the adopt Charlie. The answer was of course to that second question. The answer to the first question was “Why not try.”

So right there, in the diner, in front of all the old men and waitstaff, Stiles let his eyes turn gold and his magic swirl around him. It was not that frequent that Derek got to watch Stiles use his magic so he was enraptured at the sight. 

And then with a simple poof of gold, that in no logical universe, even with magic, should be possible, Charlie was a real boy. All of the waitstaff and patron’s murmured in shock and Stiles and Derek grinned at each other. 

Looked like they had one more member of the pack.

Turned out, Charlie was a little boy who had been hiding in the woods the day of the Explosion. He had been hiding from his dad, who was a lumberjack, but never let Charlie come with him because it was dangerous. But on that day, Charlie had followed him to work, and hidden as he watched his father work. Because Charlie had been so eager to be silent and invisible when the tree was cut down, he became such when the explosion happened. 

A side effect was that he never aged, but he was smart enough to walk into the Diner and stay there, where he could easily sneak food, use the bathroom, and sleep on the booth cushions without anybody noticing. 

Cameron and Charlie got along really well and nobody seemed to question where Derek and Stiles got another kid. 

But they were really happy with it and already planning to adopt more.

Derek watched the boys play together as he held Stiles hand, feeling his husband’’s wedding ring press against his fingers made him smile.

And 30 years in the future, when Cameron is a sheriff deputy, Charlie is a witch, and their daughter is studying to be a vet, under Scott, Stiles and Derek take a walk through their farm. Though they are both in their late 50s, almost 60 for Derek, they both are happy and healthy. Stiles is a council member, Derek is the City Appointed Historian, and they both complain about being called old by their children. The HaleCall pack is huge at this point, thanks to all the werewolf babies Erika and Boyd had, and all the surrogates that Scott and Isaac had. And the new members. And then all of the kids’ kids. The Hale farm was never empty and never quiet.

And Stiles and Derek were still madly in love.

And they lived happily ever after. 

 

The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading guys! Hope you enjoyed! I'm sad to be done but I wanted to not have to stretch it out.  
> Let me know if you have any requests!


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